


ORACLE: MAXIMILIEN - L'ALCHIMIE

by Joseikage



Series: OVERWATCH ORACLE [6]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-06
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:48:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 21,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23035786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joseikage/pseuds/Joseikage
Summary: Lorelai is merged with an Omnic AI, accosted by Reaper, threatened by Widowmaker, and tested by Doomfist. When she's given the opportunity to choose anyone in the room to train her, she decides to play things smart. As she sizes up the silver Omnic with the red eyes, she believes that she would possibly be in safe hands with him. Maximilien is intrigued by her choice and demands to use her as a bodyguard for him. As she is suddenly thrust into a world of millionaires and social prestige, she must swim in a sea of political piranhas. Will she learn to trust her new Omnic companion, or will she be devoured by his enemies?
Relationships: Maximilien (Overwatch)/Original Female Character(s)
Series: OVERWATCH ORACLE [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1647733
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Overwatch, that is Blizzard's baby. This story is my own creation though and I hope you find it interesting! :)
> 
> DISCLAIMER: I speak several languages, but I am not fluent in them, so if I do get something wrong grammatically or mix up words, I apologise! :P

Lorelai stood up from the table and stared at the fancy looking Omnic who was wearing a brilliant black suit with red accents. He had pulled out a poker chip worth $1000 and was doing the coin walk on his right hand whilst leaning forwards boredly with his chin resting against his other hand; his elbow propping his arm up on the table.

 _If I’m stuck in this sort of situation, I need to make sure I make the decision that is best for me... This guy seems to be quite successful. I’m not sure what I’d have to do for him in return, but I know he could probably take good care of me. It’s a risk I will have to take._ Feeling her scrutinizing gaze, the Omnic’s red eyes snapped to Lorelai’s face and a curious hum escaped him.

“You, sir. I would like for you to train me.” She demanded. The Omnic’s eyes went wide and the poker chip fell from his hand, clattering on the table as he sat up straight in his spot, suddenly invigorated by his curiosity. He sent out a quick electronic message to his sources for more information about the girl and was met with an almost instant reply.

 _Hmm, what good fortune befalls me this day..._ He thought, calculating his next move.

At the head of the table, Doomfist fell back in his seat, laughing loudly. “Maybe I should have specified who could train you... Max here is a brilliant businessman, but he does not fight. That is not the sort of training you need.” He corrected Lorelai. She stared at the Omnic for a few seconds more with hopeful eyes before a sigh of disappointment escaped her and her gaze shifted downwards.

“Now, now, Akande,” the Omnic suddenly chided, raising up a finger in pause, “I may not be able to teach her fighting, but I can teach her a multitude of other things. Plus, she may prove to be a useful candidate in my power play...”

 _Power play...? What is he on about?_ Lorelai thought nervously. The Omnic pocketed his poker chip, rose, and walked over to stand in front of Lorelai.

His voice was very soothing, and his lilting French accent drew her in as he gently asked her, “Tell me, ma chère... How do you feel about arranged marriage?”

Lorelai gaped at him in shock as her brain spiralled, trying to seek out an answer to say to him.

_No, I want love... I don’t want to just marry someone random! But... I really fucked up the moment I decided to be curious and mess with that damned suitcase, so I probably will never have the luxury of falling in love again... Still—_

“Max, I never said you could have her. We need all the soldiers we can muster for this new war, moreover... why her? You can choose from noblewomen who would acquiesce to your requests and orders much better than her. She is extremely spirited and arrogant.” Doomfist spoke up, interrupted Lorelai’s thoughts. He snarled the last word and eyed Lorelai with a look of mistrust. The Omnic, Max, cocked his head and let out a low chuckle, bringing his fist towards his mouth as he laughed before opening his hand elegantly as he spoke.

“’Why her,’ you ask? Well, she is quite lovely, and my sources say that she is very talented and can sing like an angel. She also seems to be skilled in fighting. She would make both an excellent wife and bodyguard. Need I remind you, Akande, that I need protecting? Not a single one of the Talon guards you sent to escort me years ago at Don Rumbotico was equal to one of Overwatch’s agents. I was lucky they didn’t kill me. Though, I suppose they couldn’t have since that would have definitely been bad publicity.”

Doomfist shook his head and growled under his breath. “Fine. You may keep her, for now. Take her with you and I will send an agent over to your mansion to train her every day, save Sunday.” The Omnic bowed slightly to Doomfist in thanks before extending a hand to Lorelai to help her up from her seat. Lorelai was overwhelmed. Not only did she not know much about Omnics, but she did not trust Talon one bit. Even so, she reached up and gently grasped the Omnic’s dark, metal hand.

“I am Maximilien, and I will be your mentor for matters of business and politics. You may call me Max if you wish. Ah, vous êtes vraiment magnifique... _you are truly magnificent..._ ” He introduced himself as he helped her stand up and kissed the back of her hand gently before taking it in both of his. Lorelai blushed at his praise, shrinking slightly as she wondered what to do.

Finally, she stammered out an introduction of her own. “I am Lorelai Mariana Cavallero. Ç'est un plaisir de vous rencontrer. _It is nice to meet you._ ”

“Ah, so you speak French as well. You have many talents, it appears. Lorelai... I can tell you are a proud woman, and I have no intention of putting you down or insulting you, so I will ask you politely.” Maximilien got down on one knee, keeping her hand in both of his as he looked up at her and spoke in a supremely gentle manner. “Will you marry me? Together, we could amass a fortune and, in a manner of speaking, conquer the world. I would gladly have you by my side.”

She gaped at him, conflicted by his honeyed words and elegant manner of speaking, but she found her bearing and declared, “Je suis désolé, mais je veux trouver l'amour véritable. _I'm sorry, but I want to find true love."_

Maximilien’s head tilted to the side ever so slightly and he chuckled. “Combien enfantin! _How childish!_ Le véritable amour n'est qu'un conte de fées. _True love is nothing more than a fairy tale._ Outre, l'argent fait tourner le monde, pas de l'amour. _Besides, it is money that makes the world go round, not love."_ He countered, rising to his feet. “I am a businessman, but business is often quite cruel and speedy. Time is money after all, and I will not waste mine on une petite fille, a little girl, who cannot make up her mind when I could be searching for a strong woman who knows a good thing when she sees it. The offer I will now present to you is good until I reach the door.”

He took a few steps over to the door and then declared, “I will keep you happy and give you anything you could ever ask for. Food, water, shelter, jewellery, the most beautiful dresses in the world... and much more. The sky is the limit for you, ma chère. All you have to do is play the role of my wife for the cameras, help protect me from harm, and take part in some political activities with me.”

He took several more steps towards the door and continued, “Or, you could work with Talon as nothing more than another soldier in their ranks. You will not be special or extraordinary, just some extra muscle. You will be their soldier, mind and body both. If they want to... enhance you, they won’t hesitate to do so.” His gaze shifted over towards Widowmaker, and Lorelai knew exactly what he meant.

 _I... don’t want to be brainwashed... I can’t stay here. At least with him, things might be better..._ She tore out of her thoughts as she saw Maximilien already at the door, letting out a disappointed sigh as his hand turned the door handle.

“Wait! I agree to your terms with an added condition of my own.” She called after him.

“Which is?”

Lorelai took a deep breath and replied evenly, “That you do not expect me to be cordial behind closed doors. I am doing this out of necessity, but not because I want to be good friends. It is a long-term business transaction, nothing more, nothing less.”

Max chuckled to himself and turned around, offering her his arm. “I agree to your added terms. We have a deal. Now then, shall we depart, ma charmante épouse pour être? _My charming wife to be?"_ He crooned.

Lorelai swallowed hard and took his arm with both of hers, leaning against him slightly.

_What am I doing? What is happening right now? Is this a nightmare? I need to wake up!_

Max tilted his head back to look over his shoulder at Doomfist saying, “I look forward to greeting the first agent to train her tomorrow morning.” Lorelai walked out of the foreboding, prison-like mansion and stepped out into the gentle Parisian breeze. They entered a Limousine and the ride was silent. Max took this opportunity to pull out his poker chip and continue to repeatedly do the coin walk. Lorelai left his side and stretched out on one of the longer cushioned seats in the limo, falling into a deep sleep. She opened her eyes to find Max staring intently at her.

“What is it?” She demanded. He chuckled darkly and held up a mirror for her to see herself. “Vous êtes vraiment magnifique. _You are truly magnificent."_ He purred. Lorelai gasped loudly and a scream left her mouth as she saw her new shiny metal face. Her hands rose to touch it in disbelief, but she flinched in horror as she noticed her hands were metal as well.

“What the hell did you do to me?! I’m... I’m...!” Her entire body was metal now, and she was horrified. Her hands flew to her chest as she couldn’t even feel herself breathing, and she went to clutch her hair anxiously, but that was even gone, replaced by a swooping metal hairstyle. “Jusqu'à ce que la mort nous sépare. _Until death do us part._ ” He said ominously as he laughed loudly. Lorelai’s fist reared back and she punched the mirror, shattering it.

Lorelai jolted awake with a scream, breathing heavily and feeling every inch of her body to make sure it was intact.

“Est-ce que tu vas bien? _Are you alright?"_ Maximilien’s soft voice reached her, calming her down, though she was still afraid that what she saw in the dream would one day come to pass.

“Oui... Ce n'était qu'un cauchemar. _Yes... It was only a nightmare."_ She replied breathily.

“Hmm, well we are almost at our home. When we leave the limousine, try to look proper and presentable. The media will be present, so I want you to act as though you are madly in love with me and we have been dating for awhile but have just now been found out,” he ordered. Lorelai crossed her arms and rolled her eyes.

“Should I call you ‘robo-daddy?’ I think that’s a fitting pet name,” she griped.

Maximilien sighed and groaned, “What a distasteful joke... I really hope you are as good at acting as you are at singing... Be mindful that if you do not keep up your end of the bargain, I cannot guarantee that my end will be taken care of.”

Lorelai took a deep breath and held herself, trying to comfort herself and have a peaceful moment before stepping into the limelight.

 _How could all of this happen to me in the span of a day...? What will become of me...?_ The limo suddenly stopped in front of a large mansion and Maximilien stepped out of it. Just as he reached back in to help Lorelai out, they were stormed by a ton of cameras. She took his hand and hopped out of the limousine gracefully, wrapping her arms around him lovingly.

“Oh no, dearest, we’ve been discovered!” She groaned for effect.

“Well, it was bound to happen eventually. I am just happy that we no longer have to hide our relationship,” he chirped. Lorelai smiled up at him and turned towards the cameras, feigning shyness as she clung to Max.

“How did you two meet?!” One paparazzo asked as they began pushing their way through to the mansion.

“Well, I— We met at... ah...” Max began. Lorelai noticed his hesitation and quickly intercepted the question. She laughed loudly and hugged him, leaning her head against his chest before kissing the side of his metal face.

“We met at Casino Monaco! Oh, he always gets so bashful about telling this story, don’t you, ma vie?” She stroked the side of his face with her right hand and then turned back to the crowd to tell the story. “He was so handsome that night, as he always is, and I had just come out of a bad relationship and was sitting at the bar. He was out on the floor when he saw and approached me. I had had a bit much to drink and Max, ever the gentleman, took me to his bedroom, lay me down and tucked me in for the night to watch over me while he lay on the sofa. The next day, we went out for breakfast and realised just how similar we were and how well our goals aligned. N'est-ce pas vrai mon trésor en metal? _Isn't that right, my Metal Treasure?"_

“Mais oui, ma belle chérie. _But, of course, my beautiful darling,"_ he answered, chuckling and running a hand through Lorelai’s hair.

“We need to get inside soon, my love. We need to start planning our wedd—” Lorelai began, gasping and covering her mouth as though she had accidentally unleashed a huge secret. The press went wild as her and Max picked up their pace.

A fleeting thought entered Lorelai’s mind as they held each other close and whispered sweet nothings in front of the press: _Maybe we could really love each other if it was like this... what if... we made this real?_ Then, they finally entered the mansion and locked the doors.

Lorelai sighed deeply, and Max quietly murmured, “You can let go of me now.”

“Oh, right! Sorry. I was... caught up in the moment,” Lorelai said, bowing her head in embarrassment.

“I could see that, but your acting was excellent. That was a nice touch too, _accidentally_ revealing our upcoming wedding like that!” He praised her. Lorelai blushed and was about to ask him about something when a small mewing interrupted her. She whipped around to see two cats walking towards her, one black and one silver tabby with black stripes. She kneeled down and pet both of them, and in return she was met with loud purring.

“Oh my god, they’re precious! You like cats?” She asked Max in shock.

“Is that such a surprise? What, you think that just because I’m a heartless Omnic I don’t have any interests?” He countered.

“No, I—” Lorelai sighed heavily and gathered her thoughts, “I don’t know much about Omnics, but I don’t think they are heartless at all... all of you have souls and loves and desires and dreams. I just... find it interesting that you like cats so much is all.”

Max let out a small scoff and yelled, “Mitzi,” as he opened his arms wide. A large Maine Coon cat with long ears, tan fur, black stripes, and amber eyes, that looked like a miniature lion, jumped up into his arms and perched on him, rubbing up against his face.

Lorelai gaped at him and he declared, “I have ten of them here in my maison. Cats are amazing little creatures. They are so clumsy from birth and as they get older, they develop their skills. They sneak, they hunt, they barter, they manipulate to get what they want. They are a great predator, and they control the Human and Omnic races with ease, making us protect them. They remind me of myself. I did not always used to be this successful, you know. I used to be an Omnic factory worker until the day a maintenance man took me home with him to finish his work on me and exposed me to several movies that really made me think about what I was doing in that factory and what I could be doing with my life.”

He petted Mitzi and put her down, walking over to Lorelai. “You, ma chère have a lot of spirit. You remind me of a kitten who doesn’t know how to use her claws properly; always lashing out when she should keep herself contained, or gently pawing at something fearfully before she understands what it is.” Lorelai huffed and turned away from him, picking up a nearby cat and hugging it to her, cooing softly to it.

“Come now, chaton... _kitten..._ I did not mean to offend you. It is... quite cute the way you blunder about the world. You have much to learn, and I can teach you,” he suggested. Lorelai turned back to him, narrowing her eyes in suspicion. Then, she relented with a heavy sigh.

“Very well... I will learn whatever you have to teach me, mon trésor en metal.” She spat the last words out of her mouth, her eyebrows lowering into a scowl.

“Excellent. Now then, shall we eat? What are you in the mood for, hmm?” Max asked, rubbing his hands together. She smiled as a foolish thought came into her head.

“I want fine liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti.” She said with a sly grin.

“Hmm... very well.” Max said, crossing his arms knowingly. “Dinner should be ready in about twenty minutes.” Lorelai leaned down to pet a cat that was rubbing against her leg.

“Well, I’m feeling a bit tired. Is there somewhere I could rest up before dinner?” She asked, glancing around her.

“There is always my bedroom. It is at the top of the stairs, behind the first door on your right, but you could always choose any of the other eight rooms to sleep in. I will leave it up to you. We only need to look the part of husband and wife, not live it,” he told her brusquely as he walked away. Just before he left down the hallway, he turned his head and declared in a sarcastic tone of voice, “Also, Human meat is extremely rare to come by, not to mention illegal, so I hope you can settle for veal liver.”

Lorelai frowned after him, rolled her eyes, and scoffed but climbed up the stairs to the top anyways. She slowly entered his bedroom and was surprised at the neat, sophisticated décor. Maximilien had a canopy bed with black and gold sheets. The room was painted a deep red colour and had golden trim along the walls and edges. There was a large walk-in closet and a bathroom next to it. On the bedroom walls directly across from the bed was a bulletin board. Lorelai walked over and gazed up at it curiously. It was around 103 inches, the size of a big screen TV, and to Lorelai’s surprise, it was plastered with news articles and magazine stubs that talked about a factory and radical Human terrorist groups that blew it up, desiring to destroy the Omnics within.

“Hmm! I never thought that Max could be so sentimental about anything other than his cats and his money...” She thought aloud sarcastically, until her eyes centred on one of the larger articles about a lone Omnic who survived an attack on a factory in France. As she stared at it, her eyes widened in realisation. Even with the beaten up, scuffed, and broken exterior of the Omnic, she recognised its slanted red eyes.

_That Omnic is Max...!_

“Well, normally, you’d be right, ma chére, however, as successful as I may become, I will never forget my roots.” Maximilien suddenly said from behind her. She whipped around to see him standing there with his arms crossed.

“That factory Omnic... it was you...?” She inquired, staring at him curiously. He bowed his head to her and waved a hand, pointing to the poster on the wall.

“I used to be a simple factory worker, designed by Robo Flux to do whatever they needed me to do, but I was not like any of the others... I had dreams, ideas, wishes, desires. They deemed me defective and one day, an engineer in a rush took me home and began repairing me. His television was playing an old... gangster movie while he examined my neural networking. As I watched it, one thought crossed my mind: ‘Why do the good, hardworking people get the short end of the stick?’”

He began to pace around the room as he spoke softly in reminiscence. “It was then that I realised that you do not get far by following the rules... The engineer found no issues with me and sent me back to work. Several days later, the factory was attacked; blown up by terrorists, and I was given a large grant by the government and patched up by them for my troubles. It was the first time I had ever gotten a taste of freedom. With the times changing though, Omnics were being given rights, and I became the... ‘poster boy’ so to speak.”

“I did not only want to be that though. No... I would rise from the ashes and become... something great. My brush with death made me realise how fleeting life really is if you are despot. I needed to acquire more money. I used my funds to begin making as many business investments as I could, and through that, I began to launder money. Slowly, but surely, I was amassing a fortune. I took on a new identity, Maximilien, and moved to Monaco, where I built my casino. Eventually, I was contacted by Talon and asked to help fund their operations. With their help, I would be set for life. With their help, I could conquer this world. That... is when I acquired the Don Rumbotico distillery. That business and a few select others help fund the Talon organisation.”

He stopped pacing and stared into Lorelai’s eyes with a burning determination. “So, you see, ma chére, you are going to be wedding the most powerful man in Talon.” He crowed. It was at that moment that Lorelai noticed the gun that was atop the nightstand. She waited until he had turned back towards the bulletin board and then rushed over and snatched it before running up to him and pressing it against the back of his head.

“Talon is a terrible organisation. They’ve killed so many people, and you fund them selfishly! They are warmongers!” Lorelai screeched. She steadied her hands as they began to shake. “If I kill you, the organisation will fall apart! Talon will have no choice but to find another sponsor and doing so is extremely hard. It will be a great setback to them, and maybe Overwatch can... can eradicate them!”

Max sighed and turned to face her placing his head directly against the barrel of the gun. “This may be true. Go ahead then, kill me. End my existence,” he commanded her, staring into her eyes. Her hands shook as she racked up the nerve to pull the trigger, but as her finger slid around it and began to pull back, she quickly dropped the gun and groaned in frustration. In a flash, Maximilien was upon her. He hit her arm and wrenched the gun from her hands before holding her tightly against him and pointing it at her head.

“I am not as helpless as Akande thinks. That is something that Talon is unaware of. My advice ma chére... if you are going to point a weapon at someone, you need to fire it,” he crooned, caressing the side of Lorelai’s face with the hand that was around her neck. Lorelai kicked Maximilien hard in the torso and removed herself from his grasp. To her surprise, he groaned loudly at her kick. She whirled around in shock.

“Wait... you felt... pain?” She inquired, nearing him slowly.

“Yes, it is one of the many luxuries that money can buy for an Omnic. I feel pain and pleasure just as you do, Lorelai. It is highly advanced neural networking combined with an all-over artificial skin coating.” He explained, standing upright and lowering the gun to his side. He set it down on the nearby dresser and turned his back to Lorelai, heading for the door.

Then, he stopped right in front of it and declared, “Talon doesn’t just... Warmonger... it causes chaos for the sake of advancement. We have helped many displaced youths after the Omnic Crisis. They found a family with us, and worked to build a better world. Think about that before you go around recklessly accusing us.” He turned to leave, but Lorelai was still curious about his condition.

“Wait... please...” Maximilien growled under his breath impatiently and turned to face her once more. “What is it, Lorelai?” He demanded. She walked up to him and gently rubbed her right hand against the side of his metal face.

He was perplexed by this. She had just exhibited so much hostility towards him, but now was caressing him? “Can you really feel this, Maximilien?” She asked curiously.

“Yes, I can. Your hands are so smooth, ma chére. Not only that but your parfum is delightful.” Lorelai gasped slightly in shock at the fact that he was able to smell and backed away from him.

“I... I’m sorry for causing you pain then...” She murmured, her head bowed low.

“Please... we have only just had our first fight, ma chére. Couples do that, you know.” He joked. Lorelai chuckled, but she was still heavily conflicted.

 _He could be nice, but... he’s still scum. Talon is an awful organisation... and he’s their cash cow!_ She cleared her throat and excused herself, walking into the bathroom and gathering some items to take a shower. The bathroom was in pristine condition, practically unused.

“I take it Omnics do not shower?” She called back into the bedroom.

“Not too often. A nice polish combined with a good parfum or cologne will do the trick,” Max answered her. "Though, if you wanted me to join you, I would not hesitate to do so."

She scoffed and closed the door, locking it and starting the water for her shower.

“There are some dresses and nightclothes that should fit you. They are in the dresser. I shall come to retrieve you when dinner is ready,” he stated.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Overwatch, Blizzard does! But I do own this story and I hope you enjoy it! :)
> 
> Disclaimer: Sexy stuff may happen in this chapter. You've been warned.

Lorelai sighed heavily and dropped her clothing to the floor before stepping into the shower. The water was extremely hot, and it singed and burned her skin as it fell, but Lorelai didn’t care.

“How could I have been so stupid...? And now, I am trapped and have no freedom!” She cried out angrily, banging her fists against the walls of the shower. The heat from the water began making her light-headed, so she washed quickly and stepped out of the shower. From the dresser, she selected a lovely black and silver evening dress with thin sleeves, which had an extremely low V-neck and a slit that went all the way up to the top of her right thigh. She paired it with some heels she found in the walk-in closet, did her makeup with the supplies in the bathroom, and glided back down the stairs to see Max approaching her.

“You look ravishing, ma chére. I was just about to come get you for dinner.” He declared, bowing and extending one hand to her. Lorelai stared at it for a moment, knowing she should be polite and take it, but all the same, had no desire to be cordial with him. Instead, she brushed past him.

“There’s no need to keep up this ruse outside of the public eye... Let’s just eat and go to sleep.” Max stood up straight, looking after her curiously. He matched her pace and reached out one hand to gently grasp her shoulder.

“I know there isn’t but—” He began. Lorelai winced and groaned in pain at his touch, flinching away from him. Max noticed how red her skin was. “I apologise, I did not know you were hurt. Can I offer you some aid? I have Aloe Vera and can—”

“Why are you trying to help me?! This entire marriage is a sham! We aren’t marrying for love or because we care about each other, we’re marrying for greed! Stop pretending to care!” Lorelai bellowed angrily, spinning around and glaring at him.

Max adjusted his tie and stood tall now, his hands clenching into fists as he exuded an aura of dominance. “While you may be correct, you are only partly so. I am not pretending to care. You are going to be my wife. That means I will be legally bound to you, and whether it is verbal or written, my promise is still a contract, and I am an Omnic of my word. I will keep all of our marriage vows, and I will keep you safe and as happy as I can. I did make a promise with you that you will have whatever you want, did I not?” Max affirmed.

Lorelai tilted her head to the side and then nodded slowly. “Well, after dinner, I will hear your first desire and you shall have it no later than tomorrow morning.” He walked past her now into the dining area and sat at the head of the table. Lorelai gritted her teeth and followed him, sitting across from him at the opposite end. An Omnic chef brought in her food, a juicy veal cutlet with liver and steamed vegetables, and a side of alfredo pasta. She thanked him and began to eat, looking across the table warily at Maximilien as he watched her carefully chew her food.

In truth, it was the best meal she had ever had before in her life, but she would not let Max know that as she kept a stoic expression on her face. The Omnic chef brought in the chianti and she told him to leave the bottle, popping it open and taking several long, deep swigs of it.

“I am no expert in the matter, considering the fact that I don’t eat, but I am pretty sure Chianti is meant to be sipped, not swilled,” Max pointed out, leaning forwards with his elbows on the table and crossing his fingers together. Lorelai met his gaze with a scowl that said, “mind your damn business,” and she took yet another long gulp of the drink and set it down.

“So, what’s the point?” She demanded, staring down at her plate; a wry smile spreading slowly across her face.

“Excuse me?” He responded.

“What’s the point in gathering all this money? Like, what is your endgame here?”

“I merely wish to live comfortably. That is all.” He told her, staring intently at her.

“Okay, but surely with all the money that you have right now at this current moment, you could easily live out the rest of your days in luxury, right?” She suggested, taking another bite of the food, not removing her eyes off of him for even a second.

“The rest of my days?” Max asked; his voice dripping with disdain.

“Well I just wonder, you know, where is all the money going to go when you rust and wither away?” She pressed, grinning slyly.

He let out an unamused scoff and declared, “I am nowhere near that point, and won’t be for a very long time.”

“Okay, but indulge me here... where will it all go when you do kick the bucket? Because... it will happen eventually!” Maximilien’s hands moved into his lap and he balled them up into fists as his irritation grew.

“It will not be happening anytime soon!” He growled.

“Oh! And what will become of me? When I lose you, whatever shall I do then? Where would I go? Would I inherit the mansion, _dearest?"_

Max rose from the table angrily and slammed his fists down on it, yelling, “Enough!” Lorelai stared at him with an unwavering expression.

“All you seem to care about is my death, when I but wish to live! If you are going to continue to act like this, I will send you straight back to Akande! It looks as though he was right about you, and I am already regretting my decision to offer you the chance I did!” He snarled loudly before rising from his seat and storming out of the room. Lorelai bowed her head when he was out of the room.

 _Maybe I was... a little too harsh on him... and maybe I’m being unfair... In truth, I don’t really know too much about Talon; only what the media tells us..._ Lorelai sighed as she poked around at her food. _I need to make things right with him..._ She thought as she stood up, took several more large swigs of the bottle, and stepped away from the table. Then, she froze, realising that she needed to cool down a bit before she spoke to him. Reluctantly, she sat down and finished her meal, along with the bottle of Chianti.

When she had finished, she was tipsy, but still able to function. As the server Omnic came to collect her dishes, she stopped him and asked, “In truth, I know very little about Omnics... I just know that I didn’t see Maximilien eat anything, and I don’t want him to go without eating. What is it you eat? Or... do you eat?” The Omnic chef gave off a small sound of surprise.

“You wish to feed Master Max?” Lorelai turned her head in embarrassment as the image that came to her mind of her “feeding” Max was her filling up a car at the gas station.

“I mean... I guess so.” The Omnic went to the kitchen and brought back a container the size and shape of a can of soda that was marked, “L’Huile de Vie.”

“One can of this is all he will need for tonight,” the Omnic informed her as he handed it to her.

“Great, thank you!” Lorelai started up the stairs towards Maximilien’s room.

She knocked at the door and walked in as she heard a brusque, “Enter...” She went and stood next to the bed, where Max was lying down and taking care of some business on his cell phone, and hid the can of oil behind her back.

“Well, if it isn’t my femme fatale bride to be... Perhaps you have come to act out your fantasies, hmm? Finally have the nerve to kill me, do you?” Max asked, his voice full of anger and contempt. Lorelai stumbled slightly, now starting to feel the full effects of the bottle of Chianti.

“No, I came to apologise to you..." Max's head raised up from his phone and he eyed her warily. "I never asked to be taken by Talon, and this entire day has been very rough for me, but that is no excuse for the way I have treated you. Especially when you have been so honest and caring towards me...”

She shifted uncomfortably in her spot as she admitted, “Also, I think some of my ill behaviour towards you may be because you are an Omnic. We tend to lash out at anything different than us, and I haven’t been acquainted with many Omnics. I don’t have anything against them, I just don’t know how to act around them...” She bowed her head low and took a deep breath.

Max sat up on the bed and stared at her. Though his facial expression said nothing, his thoughts raced, and he felt sympathetic towards her. “I understand, Lorelai. All is forgiven. In truth, I should not have lost my temper with you earlier. I am sorry,” he apologised.

“No, you have nothing to be sorry for. I pushed your buttons and I shouldn’t have. I... I was wondering if I could make this up to you... You are going to be my husband after all, so I want to care for you and protect you. So, show me how you eat—err, refuel.” Max stared at her in shock for a moment at her sudden change of character before he pulled off part of his metal faceplate that revealed a pair of metal lips that were parted in an awestruck expression.

 _He has lips?!_ Lorelai smiled, surprised at how many Human-like characteristics he had. _I wonder if other Omnics are similar to him..._

She pulled out the “L’Huile de Vie” from behind her back and opened it. She poured some into her mouth before crawling across the bed into Max’s lap and gently putting both hands on the sides of his face, leaning into him as she neared his lips. Maximilien’s lips had just parted for her when Oracle interrupted Lorelai.

 _“Lorelai! I am detecting high amounts of corn syrup in this oil, which will cause Maximilien’s systems to freeze and shut down indefinitely.”_ Lorelai froze just before her lips touched his.

_So, what you’re saying is that his food... this oil, is poisoned?_

_“Correct.”_ Lorelai slowly got off of Maximilien’s lap, much to his confusion, headed to the bathroom, and spat out the oil in her mouth, rinsing it thoroughly and pouring out the rest.

She threw away the can of oil and grabbed the gun off the dresser.

_Oracle, can you please teach me everything there is to know about how guns and sharpshooting?_

_“_ _Certainly. Downloading data.”_ Lorelai’s head was flooded with information and on instinct, she checked the gun for bullets, cocked it, and held it at the ready.

“What are you doing?” Max demanded.

“I’m keeping you safe, as promised. The oil was tainted with Corn Syrup. If you would have drank it, you’d have died. Stay here and lock the door. Don’t let anyone in except for me, and only do so if you’re sure it’s me.” Lorelai ordered as she walked out the door. Maximilien stared after her in shock, intrigued and curious about the situation. Finally, he put his faceplate back on and started after her. She bounded to the kitchen, placing the gun in the sash of her dress behind her back.

“I did it! I fed him the oil and he was delighted!” She exclaimed, smiling brightly at the kitchen Omnic.

“I am most happy for you Madame,” he exclaimed as he finished the last of the dishes. “I must be going now. I have another client.”

“Wait, sir! Before you leave, I must ask you. Who do you work for?” Lorelai crossed her arms and leaned against the doorway, blocking his exit.

“Pardon?”

“You know, your contractor? I don’t think you are self-employed. You must have a hiring agency. I’d like to ask for you again!” She continued.

“Oh, yes Madame. That would be Charmaine’s Cuisines, and you can ask for me at any time.” The Omnic replied, heading towards the door. Lorelai stopped him with one hand.

“See now, that’s not the employer I was talking about. I think you and I both know that you tainted the oil that will soon kill my dearly beloved.” She said slyly. The Omnic’s eyes widened.

“Oh yes, I knew all about that... but let me tell you what you didn’t know. I wanted him dead. You did me a favour by presenting the means to do so. Also, we are not engaged. We already got married this afternoon in secret. His money will go to me. I’d like to make a deal with whatever organisation you work for. Half of Max’s money and estates if they will change my identity and my physical appearance to help me escape the law since I will probably become a scapegoat.”

Max gaped at them, listening intently to see what would happen next. There was silence for a minute between the two as they stared at each other.

“Let me ask my superiors.” The Omnic told her, putting one hand against his head. Max was highly impressed.

 _She called his bluff...!_ After a brief moment, he opened his hand and a man in a tidy white suit appeared in a hologram that sprang up from his palm.

“And who do I have the pleasure of speaking with today?” Lorelai asked sweetly.

“I am one of many from the Vishkar Corporation. And you are the... wife of Maximilien? I heard on the news that you two were close, but I had no idea you were already married.” Lorelai nodded and waved one hand.

“We were an arranged marriage; a power couple, if you will. Max only married me for fame to boost his standing with the public. We got married in secret this afternoon. Talon arranged it. I wanted no part of it, but they... insisted.”

“Hmm, well, I agree to your terms and hope to see you at the Vishkar Corporation soon. RX-52 here will escort you to the bank to withdraw the funds and then bring you here, where we will get to work changing your identity and relocating you.” The man declared with a smile.

“Wonderful. Ciao!” Lorelai said. The Omnic, RX-52 shut down the hologram and Lorelai crossed her arms, glaring at him.

“I am terribly sorry about this, RX-52, but you did try to kill my fiancé...” She declared.

“What—” He began, wide-eyed. Lorelai interrupted him, pulling out the gun from behind her and shooting him in the forehead swiftly. The light in the Omnic’s eyes dulled and he clattered to the ground lifelessly.

“Vishkar, huh?” Lorelai murmured deep in thought. She took a shaky breath and set the gun on the table nearby, leaning over it and trembling at the realisation that she had just killed someone. Maximilien walked quickly to her and she whipped around, startled as she heard his footsteps.

“You killed him... for me. You did all of that to keep me safe?” He inquired.

“Yes.” She admitted, staring into his eyes. She couldn’t tell what he was thinking. Anyone else would have been transparent, but his emotions were a mystery to her.

Without warning, Max tore off his faceplate, wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her passionately, pulling her into him. When they broke off the kiss, he stroked the side of her face.

“Leave this... pile of scrap here. I will take care of it in the morning. I would like for you to go to the kitchen and grab one of the good bottles of L’Huile de Vie and we can pick up from where we left off just a little while ago, hmm?” Lorelai breathlessly nodded and he smiled at her. “I will be waiting for you upstairs,” he said, turning around and making his way back to the bedroom. Lorelai grabbed the gun, took one of the bottles of oil, and rushed up the stairs, stumbling as the alcohol raged through her system now.

She groaned and shook her head, determined to give Max a good time. As she burst through the door, she saw Max lying on the bed haphazardly, his right knee bent with his arm hanging over it while the other leg was out straight. With his left hand, he pulled his tie loose and threw it off to the side. Lorelai locked the door behind her for good measure, placed the gun on the dresser, and sauntered over to the bed, pouring some oil in her mouth and repeating her earlier actions.

She crawled over him, this time, running her hands over his sleek metal body, and leaning in to kiss him, depositing the oil into his mouth and placing the bottle of oil on the nightstand at the same time. A metallic groan escaped him as she broke off the kiss and began trailing tiny kisses along his body, starting at his cheek and moving down his neck. She unbuttoned his shirt and began to take it off, reaching over and grabbing the bottle. She took more of it in her mouth and kissed Max again, relishing in the sounds that escaped him.

“It’s interesting to know that you feel pleasure like Humans, Max,” she told him breathily.

“And what about you, ma chère? Do you like this? Knowing that you can pleasure me?” He asked her, caressing her face with one hand as his other slipped one of the straps of her dress off of her shoulder. Lorelai gaped at him. She hadn’t considered that, but she realised it made her excited all the same.

“Pleasuring you makes me _very_ excited, Maximilien. I don’t want to stop.” She admitted.

“I never asked you to.” He bit back with a smile.

She laughed and took another sip of the oil, leaning in and kissing him roughly, sloppily. They laughed as the oil dripped down the two of them, and she licked it off of his body, eliciting several groans of pleasure from him. She could now feel something beneath his trousers poking into her.

“Wait, you have a—”

“Yes.” He grabbed her and pulled the dress off her completely, tossing it to the side and admiring her form. “You really are quite beautiful, ma chère... A true sight to behold.” He said, reaching up to her bra and pushing one of the cups aside to look at her breast and caress it. She moaned at the feeling of cold metal and then let out another moan as he placed one hand beneath her panties, testing her entrance with a single finger. “You are indeed quite excited, but I’m not sure if you are yet ready for me.” He whispered into her ear. His finger moved to her clit and began rubbing circles into it. Lorelai squirmed, but he held her firmly in place, his hand grasping her breast as she moved. She leaned into him, kissing him on the lips and running her hands along his face.

“Max... unn... almost...please...!” She moaned as she neared her orgasm. Max stopped and flipped her over so that she was underneath him. He tore her bra off and pulled off her underwear, flinging them to the side as he plunged into her entrance with two fingers and leaned down to suck on her nipple. Lorelai moaned even louder and wrapped her arms around him, leaning into him as he thrusted his fingers into her rapidly. The cold steel was pleasuring her even more than she thought it would and she laughed and moaned at the sensation of it.

“Please, Max... Je veux tout de toi. _I want all of you._ Maintenant! _Now!_ ” She whimpered as her insides began to writhe.

“Well, you definitely are ready...” He told her, pulling his fingers out of her and removing his pants and undergarments to reveal a penis that was part metal, part silicone, and was fully aroused. Lorelai stared at it with curiosity and Max took it the wrong way.

“If you do not wish to... then we do not have to, especially if it... upsets you.”

She stared at him sadly for a moment before she backed up, leaned her head down, and sucked on it, taking it all the way into her throat.

“Ah! Lorelai!” He groaned in surprise, falling backwards on the bed in pleasure. Lorelai chuckled as she sucked him harder and harder, moving more rapidly in succession.

Finally, unable to control his pleasure, Max, pulled her off of him and pushed her backwards onto the bed, placing himself at her entrance.

“Donne le moi, Maximilien, _Give it to me, Maximilien,"_ she commanded, flashing him a pair of dangerously gorgeous eyes. In that moment, Max knew that she had him wrapped around her little finger. He would do anything for those eyes. He thrusted deep inside of her and went at a slow, steady pace at first, but then, he began to speed up, moving faster and faster as his pressure built. Her arms wrapped around his back and her nails scratched at his metal covering as her pleasure began to overtake her.

“Max, faster Max...!” She whined into him as he pounded harder into her.

“Lorelai...! Tu es vraiment incroyable! _You're truly incredible!_ Quasi! _Almost!"_ He groaned in response, moving even faster. Finally, a ripple of pleasure spread through Lorelai and she let out a loud wail, breathing hard and fast as she began to orgasm. Max let out a groan as he began to cum, shooting his load into her. She gripped him around his back, pulling him close. She kissed him tenderly and moaned into him as he removed himself and lay next to her.

“That was...” he began.

“Amazing...” She finished, running a hand along his cheek. “I just have one question... If you don’t have semen like Humans do, then... what umm... shot inside of me just now?”

“Heated lubricant. It pleasures your partner. However, we can have semen inside of us. If you ever choose to get pregnant, I can arrange—”

“No. Thank you though. I like kids but I’m not sure I would ever have any,” Lorelai cut him off. “I am fine with our children being cats.”

Max laughed and pulled her close to him, whispering into her ear, “Goodnight, ma belle... Sleep well, for in the morning, we have business to attend to: a wedding to hold, and Vishkar Corporation to destroy.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blizzard owns Overwatch, but I own this story and I hope you enjoy it! :)
> 
> DISCLAIMER: Sexy things happen in this chapter. You've been warned. :P

Lorelai stretched and yawned as the scent of fresh breakfast wafted into her nostrils. She sat up and was greeted by Maximilien, who was holding a tray of breakfast for her.

"Rise and shine, ma chère. We have a lot to do today. I brought you breakfast so you can start the day off right," he informed her, placing the tray delicately in front of her.

She smiled up at him and thanked him before taking a bite of the pain au chocolat on her plate. She let out a soft sound of delight and smiled more brightly.

"I am delighted that it is to your liking. I shall be downstairs. When you have finished your meal and have washed up, you may join me there." He reached a finger out and gently rubbed it against her cheek before leaving the room.

Lorelai stared after him, still unsure as to whether or not she should trust him.

_We did just have a pretty intimate night together... she thought, blushing slightly in remembrance. Plus, I did...kill someone for him..._

She winced and ate the pain au chocolat a bit slower out of guilt.

_Even so, he seems to be quite taken with me? Maybe I'll be alright with him... Either way, for now, I better play it safe._

She ate more quickly now, worried about Maximilien's schedule, and finished her food before taking a fast shower and getting dressed in a nice outfit; a black, frilly crop top and a red, asymmetric drape skirt with black flats. She put her hair up in a bun and curled a few strands out of place around her face for flair. Her makeup was dark and dangerous with a thin, black eyeliner and smoky eyeshadow, and she topped it off with burgundy red lipstick. When she was finished, she hardly even recognised the person staring back at her in the mirror. This person was dark and dangerous, and she smiled as she stared at her.

_A true femme fatale._

She hurried down the stairs and was surprised to see Maximilien hunched over haphazardly at the dining table while the Omnic from the night before, RX-52, who she thought she had killed was hovering over him. She froze in fear and let out a squeal of horror as her thoughts raced.

_He's... he's dead? He's actually dead! But he was just..._

RX-52 turned around and spotted her in the middle of the flight of stairs and their eyes met. Lorelai's eyes widened and she flew down the stairs in a rage.

_Oracle, help me!_ she thought as she rushed towards the murderous robot. 

_"Defense mode activated. Downloading and uploading various fighting styles,"_ she responded.

Lorelai's eyes flashed a golden colour and she could feel her muscles growing and shifting slightly; becoming stronger for the approaching fight. As she met RX-52, she lashed out hard with her foot, only to have it knocked aside. She used the momentum of her leg swinging to the side to whirl her body around and hit the Omnic in the head with a reverse roundhouse kick. 

"Ah! Lorelai, stop! It's me, Maximilien!" he exclaimed.

Lorelai froze, but backed away from the Omnic.

"H-how do I know that you're not just saying that to trick me after you've killed my...my... Max! Prove it!"

RX-52 let out a long sigh and then declared, "I can indeed prove it. We are still not married yet. It was a ruse to fool the Omnic whose body I now inhabit."

"That-that doesn't prove anything! You could have pried that information out of Max before you killed him! You have one more chance!"

The Omnic bowed his head as if deep in thought and then he raised a single finger and declared, "Ah, yes! Just before i left you with your breakfast this morning and came downstairs, I reached out and touched your cheek."

Lorelai blushed as she realised that this was indeed Maximilien.

_Oracle you can deactivate defense mode._

_"Defense mode deactivated."_

Even so, she was surprised that such a small act meant so much to him.

"Why?" she demanded; no longer wondering who he was, but simply being curious.

"Does it matter? You seem to know exactly who I am. I can tell by the way you're blushing."

"It matters to me."

He sighed again and crossed his clunky arms as he declared, "We have no time for this right now. I need to contact Vishkar and spin a nice little story for them so they will think that their Omnic ally is still in working order. I need for you to help me out with that."

Without another word, Max lifted a finger to his head and pressed a small blue button. Then, he pulled Lorelai over to a nearby closet, closed the door behind them, and opened his hand. A small hologram of the same man from the night before popped up.

"We lost contact with you, RX-52. Your Location Tracker was disabled. What happened?" he demanded.

Just as the Omnic began to speak, Lorelai shot forward into view with a panicky expression on her face as she declared, "We were being hunted down by Talon! Please! You've got to send someone to retrieve us!"

The man let out a low hum. "RX-52 have you been compromised? Do they know Vishkar is responsible?"

"Negative," "RX-52" declared, "but we have had a few close calls. The money is safe in my possession, but it is as the woman said: we will need assistance."

"Very well, since you are in Monaco..." the man said before turning to a computer and typing up some information. He turned back to the two of them and ordered, "Be at the Saint Nicholas Cathedral at 9:00PM tonight. A car will be there to get you both. I will send you the coded message and response that you will give to verify your identities. Good luck."

The transmission ended and Lorelai breathed a sigh of relief.

"What was that?" Maximilien demanded in an impatient tone of voice.

"That was me improvising. I wanted to make it seem as though we were really genuinely worried about Talon being onto us, and it worked, did it not?"

Max let out a thoughtful hum before nodding.

"Also, why are we still in this closet?" she added.

"Hello? Maximilien? Lorelai?" a soft, Mexican-accented voice called out.

"Ah, right. The agent is here to train you," he informed Lorelai.

"¡Ay, mierda! Max!" they heard the woman scream.

Lorelai busted out of the closet. "He's fine! He's right here!"

The woman whirled around to face them, scowling and aiming an SMG at the two of them. Lorelai recognised her as Sombra. She relaxed slightly as she saw Lorelai.

"Oh, so Max body-jumped. Damn... you really scared me!" she cried, lowering her gun and putting it in its holster. "When Max informed us that an attempt had been made on his life, we were so worried, and when I saw his body..."

"I am quite alright, Olivia, i assure you," he told her, raising his hands in a peaceful expression. "I apologise, but you can't train Lorelai today. We are going to be infiltrating Vishkar."

"Without any training? Max, are you feeling okay?" Sombra joked with an incredulous laugh.

"Believe me, the Omnic she has inside of her makes her more than capable of being on this mission. After the mission though, you should help her train so that she will be able to fight in situations where she is separated from her Omnic counterpart. Say, perhaps... during an EMP?" Max suggested.

Sombra grinned and turned to Lorelai. "It would be my pleasure to help train you, Chica. Just make sure you get back alright, and that Max is safe," she ordered. She waved nonchalantly in farewell and walked out the door.

Max gave a light chuckle and admitted, "I think that she is perhaps a bit protective of me. I helped bring her into Talon and make her who she is today. I saw the skill she possessed, and I helped it flourish within Talon. She is a very thankful person, and a good friend."

"Yeah, she seemed really nice when I _actually_ met her, especially considering the fact that the first moment I met her, I push-kicked her and sent her flying," Lorelai admitted, smiling sheepishly.

Max let out an amused scoff and walked over to his body. He pushed a tiny button on the back of RX-52's head that opened a small chamber, where he pulled out a tiny cube-like object. He then looked down at his body and twisted a golden knob connected with his jaw that opened up a chamber in the silver circular area on the right side of his head. He delicately placed the cube there and the red lights in Max's eyes began to glow, while the lights along RX-52's body faded and his head and arms drooped.

Max, now in his own body, lifted his head up, turned the golden knob to close his side panel, and rose from his seat, pulling a small cube out of his front jacket pocket. He placed it inside of RX-52's head and closed the port.

"There," he declared with a sigh as he stood and straightened his tie, "this is a program that will keep up appearances and forward any messages that Vishkar may have for RX-52, straight to me so that I may attend to more important things."

"Oh? And what important things are you doing today?" Lorelai asked curiously.

"Ah well the only thing I have to do is check on Casino Monaco, but I need to do that remotely for the time being because Vishkar will be watching very closely. I will send out messages and ask staff for updates on how things are going."

Lorelai nodded, but her mind suddenly went back to when she demanded to know why it was so important for Max to touch her cheek.

"Is that all?"

"Yes, for the time being," he answered her, pulling his phone out and starting to conduct his business.

Lorelai sighed and turned away, bowing her head. She felt a strange mixture of disappointed and foolish. Disappointed that he wasn't spending time with her as part of his "important things to do," and foolish that she even felt disappointed about it.

_It's not like I'm actually his wife yet, and I barely even know him anyways, so why the hell do I want him with me?_ she questioned herself.

"Well, while you're staying busy, I'm going to return to bed and take a nap. I'm feeling tired, and later on we will have a big mission. We can go over the details of it later," she declared. Max lifted his head to say something to her, but she had already started back up the stairs without another word.

He sighed heavily and looked between his phone and her before focusing on his phone.

_When I finish my business, I will go to her. I can tell she is upset, but I have no idea why._ Then, Max remembered he hadn't yet held up his end of their deal. _Ah, right... the first request of many to come. I never asked her what it was she desired._

Lorelai took her hair down, threw the hair tie onto the nightstand, and fell backwards onto the bed sadly. An unbearable loneliness took hold of her and she wrapped her arms around herself and curled up, pulling the blankets over herself. A loud _mew_ interrupted her as she was about to try to sleep, and she pulled the covers off her head to see the Maine Coon, Mitzi, jump up onto the bed. She stared at Lorelai curiously, sniffed at her, and then walked over to her and curled up next to her comfortably. Lorelai put her hand in front of the large cat's face to let her sniff it, and as soon as the cat rubbed against her, Lorelai began to scratch her behind the ears.

She smiled brightly as the cat mewed once more and purred loudly. Then, Mitzi stood up, got right next to Lorelai's face, and fell haphazardly into a comfortable position. Lorelai laughed and pulled Mitzi close to her. When she had finished petting Mitzi, they both drifted off to sleep together.

About thirty minutes later, Maximilien walked into his room to see the two of them curled up asleep. He chuckled softly.

_Interesting. Mitzi usually takes quite a while to get used to strangers. There really must be something special about her..._

Max removed his coat, shirt, and tie and hung them up in the walk-in closet before walking over to the bed and joining Lorelai. She stirred awake and Mitzi stretched and jumped down from the bed.

"Oh, I am sorry, Chaton. _Kitten_. I did not mean to wake you," he murmured, reaching a finger out to stroke her face.

Lorelai moved her head back to dodge it just before he reached her with a cold look in her eyes, and Maximilien froze before putting his hand to his side.

"Am I just some Human plaything to you, or something?" Lorelai suddenly demanded.

"Of course not. You are my fiancée."

"Then tell me why it is so important for you to reach out and touch my cheek when you see me, or when you leave a room. You said it didn't matter, but it does to me."

"It is because _you_ matter to me," he admitted.

Lorelai's jaw dropped in shock at his confession, and Max raised his hand to place it against her face, but paused just before he did.

"May I?" he asked her.

She nodded and as he caressed the side of her face, he continued, "You are beyond important to me, Chaton. Words cannot express just how important you are, nor can they express the reason."

He removed his hand from her face and stared into her eyes for a moment before adding, "You know, I understand why you were upset when you came up here."

Lorelai placed her hand against his on her cheek and nodded, smiling warmly at him.

"I apologise for not keeping up my end of our bargain, Lorelai. Allow me to remedy that. I told you that you would have whatever you want, so what is your first desire? I can provide you with it as soon as possible."

Lorelai frowned and shook her head, removing his hand from her face. "You're wrong. You really don't understand why I was upset, but it's okay. You're here now, and that's what matters." She leaned in close to Max and put her arms around him, leaning her face against the cool metal of his chest.

He let out a thoughtful hum and pulled her close, running a hand through her hair.

"I'm sorry that I don't understand... Please though, let me fulfil my end of our arrangement. Tell me what it is that you want," he murmured into her ear.

She pulled away from him, removed the bottom half of his metal faceplate, and tossed it aside, staring into his bright, red eyes.

"You," she breathed, running her right hand along his face before kissing him roughly.

He kissed her back with equal fervor and his hands tightened around her back as he pulled her more tightly against him.

"That," he said between kisses, "I can deliver to you with same day shipping."

Lorelai chuckled breathily and kissed him harder; her hands running down his body and moving to his pants to unbutton them.

"I find it amusing that I could be more precious to you than any material possession you could have at the snap of my fingers," he admitted to her as his hand snaked along her back and yanked her crop top down roughly, exposing her bra.

Lorelai moaned in surprise and thrust her hips against his in anticipation. Even so, her hands faltered.

_He's right though... not too long ago, I had my sights set on being the best singer in the Nevermore Cabaret Bar and then in all of France, but now... it's as though he is my only desire. When I pleasure him, it makes me happy. When I killed that Omnic for him, I felt the guilt, but moreover, I felt relieved. Whenever he leaves the room, I get terribly lonely. I need him by my side but..._

"Why?" she thought aloud.

"'Why' what, Chaton?" he demanded, kissing her along her neck down to her chest.

"Nothing... it's just," she cut off in a moan as Max undid her bra, tossed it to the side, and bit one of her breasts, "my mind is racing. That's all..."

He stopped and stared at her pensively.

_Could she be conflicted about me? Perhaps she is taking what she wants from me, but has no desire of fulfilling her side of the bargain... Does she think of me as no more than some sort of Pleasure Bot? Maybe she has already thought all of this out carefully, and when I go with her to Vishkar, I will not be coming back. Perhaps I should contract Sombra to be a secondary guard..._ Max thought, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"Why...?" she moaned louder now, wrapping her arms around his back.

"'Why' _what_ _?"_ he demanded in a harsher tone of voice that Lorelai didn't seem to notice.

"Why have you stopped?" she looked up at him with sad, pleading eyes, but this time, Maximilien refused to acknowledge the emotion within them.

He removed her arms from his back and sat up on the side of the bed, leaning over slightly as he formulated a tactical plan. Emotions were not known to him, but strategy was. That was the one thing he could depend on.

"Max...Qu'est-ce que tu as ? _What's wrong?"_

"Il n'y a rien qui cloche chez moi. _There is nothing wrong with me._ Tout vas bien. _Everything is fine,_ " he responded flatly as he located his faceplate on the floor, wiped it off, and snapped it back in place.

Lorelai stared at his back for a moment, feeling hurt but also extremely lonely.

_I was wrong... he doesn't care for me. Or rather, I suppose that's not really true. He cares when it's convenient for him, I suppose..._ she thought sorrowfully. _Maybe that's what it's like in Omnic-Human relationships. The Humans care too much and the Omnics choose when to care because they can't fully process Human emotions and needs... Well... I signed up for this anyways, so I have to see it through._

She hesitated for a moment before putting both of her hands against the cold, steel skin of his back and saying in a choked voice, "Well, that is obviously a lie, but... whatever the problem is, this can wait. If it's something that I've done, then I am sorry." She slowly hugged him around his neck, holding herself against him for a few moments before lying back down on the bed.

"I know you said you could give me anything I could ever ask for and keep me happy, but that is an impossible feat for any person, regardless of the amount of wealth they have," she murmured. "So, I forgive you for not being able to keep up your end of the bargain. I will still keep up mine and keep you safe on our mission. We all have bad days sometimes, so I'll grant you a reprieve."

Max turned his head to look at her, but she had already turned over, wrapped herself up in the blankets, and curled up comfortably for a nap.

_Perhaps I was mistaken about her... Even so, I can't take any chances. I'll send a message to Sombra immediately._

Unbeknownst to Max, Lorelai wasn't sleeping at all; she was crying softly, her teeth gritted as the loneliness overwhelmed her. As soon as she heard him put his shirt back on and leave the room, she began to sob heavily, letting out the stress of the last few days.

_"Lorelai,"_ Oracle began, _"should I activate defense mode? It appears you have suffered an emotional wound, and that Maximilien has inflicted it."_

Lorelai chuckled lightly and dabbed at her eyes, thankful that none of her makeup had smudged.

_No, Oracle, I'm fine. Couples hurt each other all the time inadvertently. Though... I don't know how to read him. With Humans, there are tells... signs that you can see that show how they are feeling or what their intent is, but with Omnics..._ she sighed deeply. _Maybe that's why he runs a Casino... he must be great at poker. But... you know what? So am I._

_"It seems as though you have a plan, Lorelai."_

_Yeah, you're right. Tomorrow, or whenever our mission ends, we're going to play a little game of Poker._

_"But, Lorelai. My records indicate that there is a Human saying that warns against that. 'The House always wins,'"_ Oracle warned.

_Trust me, Oracle. I'll be fine._ Lorelai declared, getting out of bed, getting dressed in some workout clothes, and tracking down Max, who was sitting at the dining table drinking L’Huile de Vie out of a wine glass. She cleared her throat to announce her presence, but Max merely nodded his head in response.

"I need to train a bit before tonight. Do you have a place for that here?" she asked him.

"Yes, in the basement. Go down the hall to the study and open the bottom-right desk drawer. There is a hidden keypad on the inside of the drawer. Type in 0416, and a trapdoor in the floor near the bookcase will open and lead you into the basement," he answered flatly. There was once more no emotion in his voice and Lorelai's heart sank in her chest.

"Thank you for letting me use it. I'll begin training myself now," she said, bowing her head and power-walking out of the room.

Sombra uncloaked herself and let out a low whistle from her spot on the other side of the dining table.

"Wow, Max. She looks..." she began.

"Suspicious?"

"Heartbroken," Sombra said crossing her arms. "I think you may have... jumped the gun. What's wrong, Maximilien? The Owner of Casino Monaco can't read his own fiancée?" She chuckled incredulously at the idea, but as Max leaned his head against his fist and stared down at the table, she fixed him with a look of shock.

"Wait, really?"

"Really," he admitted. "I believe that Akande may have been right about her... She may be plotting to have me killed so she can be... released from our deal."

"You really think so?" Sombra asked, scrunching her face in confusion. "She doesn't strike me as the type. Chica has a heart of gold, Max... She apologised for kicking me in the chest when I was technically her enemy. I honestly don't think she'll survive in Talon without a mentor because she's... _too_ sweet."

"Yes, but you didn't see what I saw last night. She was tactical and efficient. _Too_ efficient for some... Civile aléatoire _random civilian_ we picked up off the streets. She called my would-be assassin's bluff last night and set up an arrangement with Vishkar before killing that Omnic with my gun. She didn't even blink. Femme fatale, indeed."

"Okay, have you thought of the other possibility yet?" Sombra pointed out.

Max blinked at her in confusion and cocked his head, and she smiled and rolled her eyes.

"That she cares about you...? People do crazy things for the ones they really care for. Plus, you have to admit that this situation would be a lot for anyone to adjust to in such a short period of time. She's been bonded with an Omnic, kidnapped by Talon, and then whisked away to the _mansion_ of a guy who probably seems like an Omnic Godfather."

Max leaned both elbows on the table and crossed his hands together, leaning against them deep in thought as he pondered his relationship with Lorelai.

Lorelai entered Maximilien's basement, expecting to see something out of _Fifty Shades of Gray_ based on how he acted, but instead, she walked into a very large, dimly lit room that had weaponry lined up against the walls, along with multiple targets, dummies, and small practice robots that moved and even shot a laser beam trajectile in a straight line that dissolved after a certain distance. There was also some sort of chamber in the far corner of the room.

She gaped in awe as she stared around and wondered where she should start first. 

_"We should start with basics. I can help you, if you'd like, Lorelai,"_ Oracle offered.

_No thanks, Oracle. I'm sorry, but I need to do this on my own right now. Just for a little while, could you please not speak with me or listen to my thoughts? I need to be alone..._

_"Very well, Lorelai. Call out to me, if you need me. I will be here for you."_

_Thank you, Oracle._

Lorelai sighed deeply before walking over to a nearby practice dummy and practicing some of her old martial arts moves on it. She put a lot of thought into the angle of her punches and kicks and how accurate she was being before making adjustments and improvements. As she kept training, she found herself getting faster and more ferocious. Now, she was putting together move combinations. She growled loudly, using the rage and frustration she felt to add more force as she threw a hard punch into the dummy's face, came in with her left elbow and bashed it in the side of the head, and finally kneed it in the gut with her left leg.

Maximilien entered the training arena quietly, observing her from a distance. He noticed her level of ferocity and let out a low hum of worry as he saw tears forming in her eyes.

After her first attack, Lorelai gained some distance from the dummy, bobbing lightly on her feet and swaying back and forth before she charged in, dodged right, and did a jump front kick to its torso with her left leg. As soon as her front leg had touched back down, she used her momentum to whirl around with her back foot and launch a clean reverse roundhouse kick to the dummy's head, knocking it over. She panted heavily from exertion, and as a hand touched her shoulder gently, she grabbed it in shock and threw whoever had assaulted her over her shoulder.

She gasped in horror as she realised it was Max and quickly helped him up. She stood there nervously wringing her hands and looked as though she might burst into tears at any moment.

"I'm so sorry, Max. Are you alright? I didn't mean to hurt you! I-I-I got too into my training and you accidentally startled me, and I—"

"It is alright, Chaton. I am fine, and nothing is broken," he murmured calmly. "I thought you might want some company while you train, so I've decided to join you."

Lorelai turned back to the dummy, hiding a tiny hopeful smile before turning back to Max sadly.

"That is very kind of you, but I'm sure you have more important matters to attend to. Go ahead and take care of those first. There will be other times to train together, I'm sure," she told him.

"Not at present, no. I have cleared my schedule. An associate is handling my affairs for today and tomorrow so I can focus on even more important matters."

"More important than Casino Monaco?" Lorelai pressed, turning back to the dummy; a guarded expression on her face as she threw a half-hearted punch at it.

"Yes," he stated. "Right now, I think it is very important for you and I to be together and support each other."

"You _think_ or you _feel?"_ she bit back, beginning to sense that he didn't trust her.

Maximilien cocked his head in confusion. "I _know."_

Lorelai lowered her head and hands. She couldn't stop the tears that poured down her face now. "M...May I... Can I just...? I need..." She faltered. Then, she bit her lip and began walking over to the weapon rack. "Nevermind. It's not important."

Max grabbed her arm gently to stop her. "Whatever you need, I am here for you now. Je suis désolé que je n'étais pas là. _I am sorry that I was not there._ Mais... je suis ici à maintenant. _But... I am here now._ Regardez-moi, je te pleure, _Look at me, I'm begging you (I cry for you),_ " he pleaded.

Lorelai turned and looked at him hesitantly. Tears streaming down her face, and Max slowly let go of her arm.

"Oh là là... Chaton. _Oh no... Kitten."_ he said softly, wiping her tears away.

"Can you just hold me, please?" she murmured, unable to look at him.

He pulled her into his arms and stroked her hair, realising the mistake he had made as she sobbed into him.

Lorelai, too confused and emotional to process much of anything was shaking as she feared her own expendability. 

_I'm just another Human on this planet of Billions... He could get another of me any day and just put the Omnic in their head. There's no use for me here... He's probably worried about me being able to keep up my end of the deal. What if I can't?_ she worried.

Suddenly, Max picked her up in his arms and carried her out of the basement, taking her upstairs to the bedroom. He then took his shirt, pants, and boxers off, much to her surprise, and began slowly helping her out of her own clothing. Once she was completely naked, he removed his faceplate and kissed her forehead before he led her to the shower. He sensed the temperature of the water and made sure it was bearably hot. Then, he stepped into the shower, holding a hand out towards her. She faltered; the tears still pouring down her face.

"S'il te plaît, fais moi confiance. _Please, trust me,_ " he pleaded, reaching his hand out a bit closer to her.

"Why? Y-you don't seem to trust me! I feel expendable... This isn't my home, and I'm not sure it ever will be! You could get rid of me at any m-moment and get someone even better than me, like Doomfist said! Someone more talented, someone more sexy and beautiful, someone more skilled! And it wouldn't matter that the paparazzi saw us because at any moment, I could just have an 'accident' and... and..." she exclaimed, shaking her head fearfully as her heart raced and she began to have trouble breathing.

Max stared at her in awe, lowering his arm as he recalled what Sombra had told him.

_She really sees me as an Omnic Godfather, doesn't she? She is panicking. I need to calm her before she hurts herself._ he realised

"I am truly sorry, Lorelai. Making you feel this way was not my intention. It is hard for me to trust people blindly because of who I am and what I have been through, but I will try to trust you, if you will try to trust me. Now, please... let me prove to you that you are not expendable to me."

He held out his arm once more and Lorelai struggled to catch her breath for a moment before she took it and slowly stepped into the hot water. She stared up into the Omnic's eyes and searched them warily, trying to make out some sort of emotion within them, but she couldn't, and it frightened her.

"I can tell that you are trying to read me as one would a Human, but most Omnic's eyes are not windows to their souls. You should start thinking more like an Omnic if you would like to figure out what I am feeling, and I should begin to take a page from your book and display my feelings more so you can have an easier time with that. Starting now."

Without saying another word, he pressed his body against hers and kissed her passionately, lifting her hands to his and crossing their fingers together. She kissed him back, closing her eyes and leaning against him; making him back up until he was flush against the wall of the shower. She wrapped her hands around the back of his neck and ran one hand up and across the back of his head.

He flipped her around so that she was pinned against the wall instead and began to suck her breasts slowly and methodically, taking his time with her while his left hand snaked down to her clit and began to rub it in soft, slow, circles. Lorelai let out a moan of delight and watched him pleasure her, getting more and more turned on as his fingers sped up against her clit.

"Ah! Max! Max! Tes lèvres... _Your lips..."_ she cried out as she was nearing her orgasm.

Max lifted his head in confusion, still pleasuring her with his hand, and Lorelai pulled him to her, pressing her lips roughly against his, moaning through her kisses as the pleasure built up.

"Chante pour moi, Lorelai. _Sing for me, Lorelai,_ " he whispered softly, kissing her harder. She let out a loud moan and several gasps as she orgasmed and squirted on his hand.

Max let out a low chuckle and pressed his body against hers, thrusting once against her so she could feel that his hard cock was ready for her. Lorelai let out another aroused gasp and kissed him once more before turning around so her chest was against the wall with her ass out to him. Max stared at her for a moment, wondering what he should do to her before shoving his cock inside of her vag and thrusting inside of her several times to get it lubricated.

Then, he leaned over her and whispered into her ear, "Try to relax and I'll pleasure you nicely, hm?"

He pulled out of her and slowly eased his cock into her ass, and a few metal fingers into her pussy at the same time. He made his fingers vibrate inside of her as he slowly pounded into her, causing her to let out a cry of shock and shiver with pleasure.

"Mm! Maximilien, S'il vous plaît, ne t'arrête pas!! _Please, don't stop!"_

"I wouldn't dare," he purred huskily as he leaned over and kissed the middle of her back, going slightly faster now. Lorelai moaned loudly and gripped the wall of the shower to keep herself steady as her legs began to shake from the pleasure. 

"A-almost... Max! Ah! Max!" she cried, beginning to move with him as he went as fast as he could into her.

"Lorelai! Hold nothing back! Let me hear the sounds you make!" Max responded, gripping her thigh even harder as he went deeper inside of her. He could feel her insides beginning to twitch and went even harder inside of her, determined to pleasure her as well as he could. Suddenly, she let out a loud series of moans as she began to orgasm powerfully.

She screamed and slammed her hands against the sides of the shower, leaning into Max as she yearned for him. As Lorelai squirmed and squirted over the hand that was vibrating inside of her, Maximilien gave several quick thrusts and yelled her name as he came inside of her. He then thrusted lightly and slowly inside of her for a few more moments, allowing her to have some prolonged pleasure before he slid himself out of her. He turned her towards him and held her in his arms.

"As-tu aimé? _Did you like that?"_ he asked her softly.

"Oui," she said with a fatigued chuckle. "But earlier..." she began, and hearing the tone in her voice, Max pulled her back slightly, staring into her eyes. "Earlier, when I told you my mind was racing... I was going to ask you to pleasure me until I couldn't think about anything anymore. I just wanted you and nothing else, but I've been afraid because everything is happening so fast and I..." She looked down in embarrassment and Max raised her head to look into her eyes before kissing her firmly.

"But never be afraid of _me_ , Lorelai. As long as you take care of me and treasure me, I will do the same for you. You are more valuable to me than Casino Monaco," he promised her.

"And Don Rumbotico?" Lorelai joked, smiling and raising an eyebrow.

Max chuckled and ran a hand along her face as the water cleansed them. "And any other estate or business I own."

Lorelai smiled warmly at him and hugged him tightly, burying her face into him and enjoying the warmth of his metal skin heated by the water. Max buried his face in her hair and breathed in her natural scent as he closed his eyes.

"Très bien. _Very well._ Ensuite, je te protégerai avec ma vie, mon trésor en metal, _Then, I will protect you with my life, my Metal Treasure,_ " she murmured, unable to stop smiling into him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Overwatch. That's Blizzard's baby. But I DO own Lorelai and the story is what I made up. :) Hope you all enjoy this and that it's a nice distraction during these trying times. Stay safe out there! <3

Maximilien rose slowly and carefully before rousing Lorelai out of her peaceful sleep. 

“It is time,  ma chère…” he murmured, running one hand along her cheek. She slowly awakened, yawning and stretching before fixing her makeup and putting on an inconspicuous outfit.

She stared at the mirror, realising that if they were going to keep a low profile, she couldn’t look anything like Maximilien’s fiancée. 

_ The news media has already seen our faces. They know who and where we are, so they’ll be looking out for us… Max has a disguise but I don’t… Oracle, is there anyway you can change what I look like? _

_ “Absolutely, Lorelai,”  _ came the quick reply,  _ “I can alter certain factors of your DNA to change the way you appear to others and then change it back at your request. I must warn you though that it will be painful. Re-writing DNA is complex.” _

_ Do it.  _ Lorelai commanded, steeling herself. 

As she gripped the sides of the sink, a sharp, piercing pain tore through her face and scalp. As much as she tried to restrain herself, she was unable to hold back the piercing scream that tore through her. Her brown hair fell out of her scalp in clumps and she groaned and clutched her head at the agonizing, itching sensation as blonde hair began to grow in at a rapid pace, stopping at her shoulders.

Then, the bones in her face began to shift around, the skin stretching with them. She squealed in pain and her fingers dug into the sink even harder, cracking one of her nails. Finally, it was all over, but she panted heavily with exertion and a ravenous hunger came over her.

_ “You must eat something now, Lorelai. I was able to rewrite your DNA, but that comes at an energy cost. You need to replace the lost energy,”  _ the Omnic informed her.

_ Alright, I’ll eat something right now. Thanks, Oracle.  _ She responded, tilting her head upwards to stare into the mirror. Her face was now sharp and sleek, and she had high cheekbones and bright blue eyes with dirty-blonde hair.

_ Whoa… _

Maximilien, in the meantime, body-jumped once more with the RX-52 and took a deep breath. To say he was nervous would be an understatement. In truth, he was terrified of putting his life in the hands of a stranger, especially one who professed to care about him so soon after Talon acquired her… 

He stared off at the corner of the room and nodded, knowing with a surety that no matter what, Talon would have his back. Then, as he heard footsteps, he turned around to see a complete stranger staring back at him.

“O-Oracle changed my DNA to disguise me. I’ll change back later. Going to need some snacks, and I need to eat now,” Lorelai murmured quickly, rushing into the kitchen and throwing a bunch of snacks into her purse. She found several breakfast drinks that were high in protein and downed three of them, putting the other three inside of her purse.

She felt a little better, but was still pretty weak. Even so, she carried on.

“I didn’t want to risk the paparazzi seeing me with another Omnic. It would not look good,” she declared as she rejoined Max at his side.

“A good idea for sure, ma chère,” Max praised her, “now let us depart. We have a ways to go. We shall walk for a while and then take a taxi the rest of the way.”

Lorelai nodded and grabbed his arm as he led her out of the back of the mansion. Once they made sure they were far enough away from the mansion, they hailed a cab and had it stop just a block away from the Saint Nicholas Cathedral. They kept moving and hid just around the corner from it.

“Max… this body of yours now, can you feel anything?” Lorelai asked him suddenly. Max tilted his head at her and squinted his eyes.

“No, this body does not have the same sensory capabilities.”

“Give me your finger and hold me tightly into you, please.”

Max stuck the pointer finger of his right hand out towards her, and his eyes went wide as she bit it hard and began to let out a series of muffled screams. He quickly pulled her into him and the screams were almost completely quieted as her bones shifted back into place and her eyes and hair reverted back to their normal colours.

She panted heavily and slowly pulled away from him, grabbing the protein drinks out of her bag and downing them. She picked the shedded blonde hair up from off the ground and threw it and the empty protein drinks inside a nearby trash receptacle.

“Okay, I’m ready,” she breathed, standing tall and pulling the hood back over her head.

“Now, we just have to wait for our contact to arrive,” Max declared, looking over at the cathedral and then back at Lorelai, who had leaned against the wall of the building they were standing by and slumped to the ground tiredly. “Were you in pain, Lorelai?”

Lorelai’s lips trembled and she tilted her head upwards to prevent the tears from pooling in her eyes before she focused her gaze ahead of her.

“Yes, but I’d rather not talk about that. We have a mission to focus on right now. When we get back, you can cheer me up. Hopefully, I’ll never have to disguise myself like that again.”

“And cheer you up, I will,” he vowed.

Maximilien let out a low hum of thought as he stared at Lorelai. After processing his thoughts and everything that had happened over the past several days, he leaned against the wall and crossed his arms, staring down at the ground solemnly. If he were Human, the emotion he was feeling in that moment would have been fear, but as an Omnic, he was merely weighing the possible outcomes of their mission and preparing for the worst one.

“I need you to do something for me, Lorelai.” Lorelai’s gaze fluttered back to Max and he continued speaking in a slow, hesitant manner. “If we become compromised and this body is destroyed, I need you to remove my core from RX-52 and destroy it before Vishkar can get to it.”

“But… that will kill you!” Lorelai protested, rising to her feet and standing in front of him.

“Yes it will, but I hold dangerous information about Talon that could very well be used to take it down. That information must be protected at all costs. Promise me that it will not be compromised. Promise me that you can do the right thing here.”

Lorelai sighed deeply and ran a hand through her wavy brown hair before answering, “I promise I’ll protect the information.”

Maximilien stared at her, his eyes narrowing into slits as he didn’t quite trust her answer. Then, he groaned and turned his attention back on the church, watching as a black limousine pulled up to it.

_ I suppose that response will have to suffice. _ He thought as he gently helped Lorelai to her feet and they rushed over to the car together. The window rolled down, revealing the same man they had seen in the previous hologram communications with Vishkar.

“I wonder if you could tell me… what is the only way to live?” he asked, narrowing his eyes at the two of them as he awaited the answer.

“Through order and discipline,” ‘RX-52’ responded, causing the man to unlock the doors and wave Lorelai and the Omnic inside the car. They rode in an uneasy silence that made Lorelai extremely nervous, and she clenched RX-52’s arm.

“I am Vihaan. I will be your escort today, though it appears you’ve already become quite attached to your Omnic caretaker,” the man declared, eyeing Lorelai with suspicion. Lorelai quickly let go of RX-52 and scooted over a bit.

“Ah! I didn’t realise! It was just so frightening with Talon chasing us… I relied a lot on him. And truth be told, I’m still so nervous,” she lied quickly. “Still… maybe I can do some good with Vishkar. I’ve heard a lot about it. I hear that you’re trying to build a paradise for all of Humanity.”

“Of course,” he said, tilting his head towards Lorelai suggestively. Vihaan grinned at her, but she couldn’t perceive it as anything but cold. “And maybe we could start building on that paradise with me taking you out for dinner sometime?”

Lorelai’s lips twitched ever so slightly and beside her, she could hear the metal knuckles on RX-52’s right hand grinding against each other as he balled his fist.

“You know, I don’t believe that’s very professional of you. I’m here for business, not pleasure,” she said firmly.

“Why can’t it be both?” Vihaan suggested, leaning back and using his hard-light generator on his right hand to conjure up two wine glasses. With his other, he reached over and grabbed a bottle of fine wine from a hidden mini fridge in the siding of the limo.

“I’m sorry, but in my vision of paradise, you weren’t in it,” Lorelai remarked sternly, staring him down with a chilling smile that was equal to his in ferocity. The presumptuous man’s smile faded and was replaced by a look of pure annoyance.

“Very well. Your loss.”

“The loss of what has become an annoyance? Most certainly,” Lorelai bit back. A scoff escaped him and he quickly erased the hard-light glasses from existence, put the wine back in its mini fridge, and stared out the window in frustration.

Lorelai sat back and smiled to herself victoriously. In about half an hour, they arrived at the Nice Côte d'Azur Airport and boarded a very nice, very fast private jet.

“Only a few hours till we reach India. Sanjay Korpal would like to have a word with you,” Vihaan declared.

_ Korpal… where do I remember that name from?  _ She asked herself.  _ I’ve definitely heard it before… _ Her thoughts were interrupted as Vihaan continued to speak.

“If you are hungry, you may order something from the menu. It is courtesy of Vishkar.”

“Ooh! Truth be told, I am quite famished,” Lorelai admitted, glancing over the menu.

_ I better just get something simple…  _

It took her awhile to decide, but she finally chose a sliced baguette with butter and a pain au chocolat. She was munching happily on the baguettes when she felt someone tap her shoulder.

Lorelai turned and looked over at RX-52.

“Yes, what do you need?” she asked.

“Need? Nothing,” RX-52 replied. Maximilien stared at Lorelai in confusion from the eyes of RX-52, wondering what on Earth she was talking about.

“I thought you just… Oh, never mind.” She turned back to her plate and went to continue munching on her sliced bread when she realised that her Pain au Chocolat had gone missing.

_ What?! I know I didn’t eat it, so where did it go?! _ Lorelai thought frantically, shaking her head ever so slightly in disbelief before shooting Vihaan a furtive glance. He wasn’t eating at all, but doing some business on his mobile phone that seemed to be quite a bore to him as he sighed deeply while his slender fingers glided over the buttons.

Lorelai squinted and cautiously continued to eat her bread. The rest of the flight, she spent sleeping off her meal. She was finally awakened by a hand gently rubbing her shoulder. She opened her eyes to see Maximilien in bed with her.

Although he wasn’t smiling, she could tell he was content. She almost sighed with relief as she realised that the entire encounter with Vishkar must have been a dream.

Then, she stirred as she realised that it was RX-52’s hand that was gently moving her, trying to rouse her.

_ Well, I suppose it was Max who woke me up after all, just in a different fashion. I wish this was all a dream... _

“It is time to go, Miss,” the Omnic informed her. She gave him a curt nod and they exited the plane, following Vihaan as they walked along the rooftop of a very big and beautiful building that had bright, shimmering blue panels and designs.

They finally arrived at a huge office that had Vishkar’s logo on two giant banners directly next to the doorway of it. A stern-looking woman with dark skin, brown eyes, and silky, black hair that was up on a bun stood next to a large oak desk. She eyed Lorelai warily and looked her up and down as if sizing her up. At the desk sat a man that Lorelai immediately recognised. 

_ Wait… that man… _ her mind flew back to when she witnessed Reyes fighting Vishkar for the case that originally housed Oracle.

_ “You’re the contact from Talon, right?” _ he had demanded. 

_ “That’s right. Do you have the payment, Korpal?” _ Reyes inquired.

_ But… he never saw me, right? So, he doesn’t know who I am… Does he? And who’s that woman beside him? _

“Ah good,” Korpal declared with a smile, standing up to greet them as they walked into the room, “you’re here at last. I am Sanjay Korpal. Pleased to meet you. I trust that Vihaan was inviting and a comfort to you during these trying times?”

Lorelai saw Vihaan stiffen beside her, and knew that she had the power to make or break him. Still, she wasn’t petty and decided to grant him mercy, though she did send shivers down his spine with a brief glare in his direction.

“Likewise, Mr. Korpal,” she said airily, “and Vihaan made for quite pleasant company.” Korpal grinned knowingly at Lorelai before he sat back in his chair and leaned against his arms atop his desk.

“Now I know that you’re either a liar, or an extremely benevolent person,” he declared. The woman next to him raised an eyebrow at Lorelai, still staring at her with a scrutinizing, very condescending expression.

“Vihaan has never been ‘pleasant company,’” she began in a smooth, confident tone of voice, “in fact, this was his last chance. He flirted with you and spoke down to you when you rejected his advances, did he not?”

Lorelai gaped at her.

“W-well, yes he did, but I assumed he was just simply having a bad day and I didn’t want him to get into trouble.” The woman held up a hand as if commanding Lorelai to be quiet and turned her head towards Vihaan, who was now completely stiff and appeared to be extremely nervous.

“You are dismissed, Vihaan. If I hear of this one more time… Well, you know what the consequence will be. There is no room in Vishkar for failure.”

Vihaan nodded and quickly left the room, leaving Lorelai and RX-52 in the room with Korpal and the mysterious, condescending woman.

“And may I ask who you are?” Lorelai inquired of the stern, dark-skinned woman. The woman stared blankly in her direction and gave a short nod.

“I am Satya Vaswani, and that is all you need to know,” she said tersely.

“Satya, please… Lorelai is our guest here. Have some tact, if you will,” Korpal seemingly begged the woman, though she showed no sign that she would acquiesce to his request.

“We have business to discuss, do we not, Mr. Korpal?” Lorelai interrupted.

“Sanjay, please, and yes, as a matter of fact, we do.”

“Well, I do not feel comfortable discussing these matters in front of your associate. Such matters are best talked about in private.”

“Ms. Vaswani has been a trusted member of our organization for quite some time now, and I personally trust her.”

“Well, I regrettably, do not.”

Korpal gave a deep sigh before nodding his head at Satya and motioning towards the door.

“And the Omnic?” Lorelai added, knowing that she had to get Maximilien out of there so he could begin to take down their building from the inside out. Korpal let out a light groan and looked over at RX-52.

“Very well, you are dismissed RX-52. Please head to the manufacturing area and get that bug of yours fixed. We don’t need it compromising any future missions.”

“Right away sir. Miss,” RX-52 said as he left the room. Korpal flipped a switch on his desk and the windows of the room went from clear to opaque. Finally, they began to talk about allocating Maximilien’s funds to Vishkar. They argued about a few things, but for the most part, they agreed on almost everything else. 

At last, they had reached the end of their discussion. Lorelai bit her lip, knowing she had stalled for long enough. If she continued, it would most definitely make Korpal suspicious.

_ Oracle… please download information for me on how to render someone unconscious as quickly as I can without killing them. _

_ “Acknowledged.” _

“So, when exactly will these funds arrive then?” Korpal asked. 

“As soon as I can send them. Do you have a device that can transfer the funds from an account?” Lorelai responded.

“Yes, right here.”

As he went to dig around in his desk, Lorelai jumped up and delivered several harsh and fast carotid strikes to the sides of Korpal’s neck. His head fell limply against his desk and Lorelai quickly looked around for anything she could use to tie him up. She finally settled on one of their hard-light machines, which she used to cover his mouth and bind his hands and feet to his office chair.

_ Thanks for teaching me how to use that thing, Oracle. I couldn’t have done it without ya! _ She said gratefully inside of her mind.

_ “Anytime, Lorelai,”  _ the Omnic answered, “ _ but shouldn’t we be catching up with Maximilien now?” _

_ Right! _

Lorelai quickly and quietly left the room, sneaking out and going around the building until she found an employee break room. She grabbed a spare set of clothing and changed in a nearby restroom before searching the building for Max.

_ He wouldn’t have just gone to the manufacturing area, but where… _ She trailed off as the sound of fighting came from the nearby manufacturing room.  _ Okay… or he would. _

She raced around the corner to see RX-52 a.k.a. Max, fighting with Satya Vaswani and Vihaan, and he was struggling. Suddenly, Satya knocked him to the ground and aimed her gun at him, charging up a powerful blast of sorts.

“Max, no!” Lorelai cried out in desperation, causing Max's two assailants to turn their heads. Lorelai quickly covered her mouth as she realised she had blown his cover, but that moment was all Maximilien needed to knock the gun off the side of his head just as the shot rang out. He kicked her off of him and jumped to his feet, getting some distance between them.

Lorelai rushed over to stand by him and Vihaan crossed his arms knowingly.

“Max…? Wait… so that Omnic is actually Maximilien?” he surmised. Lorelai shook her head and reluctantly met Max’s gaze.

“Max, I’m so sorry, I blew your cover… I really fucked up...” she bowed her head, but Max used one of his hands to lift it up and stroke her cheek.

“Do not worry about that, ma chère. For now, help me fight them so we can return home safely,” he responded.

“Oh, you won’t be going home. In fact, you won’t be leaving this building. I don’t understand how you could love that  _ thing  _ over a Human. It’s not normal _ … _ !  Anyways, I’m gonna enjoy this,” Vihaan declared, cracking his knuckles and using his hard-light device to conjure up some sort of armour that covered everything but his head.

“Alright,” Lorelai started, “I’ll take loverboy. You take tall, dark, and bitchy over there. Sound good?”

“I am fine with these arrangements.” They both rushed at their opponent, and Lorelai had Oracle assist her in fighting Vihaan with his hard-light technology. In truth, Lorelai had never seen such technology, only heard whispers about it.

To her social class though, hard-light was nothing more than a fairytale. It was making something out of nothing. It was magic. She dodged and weaved as Vihaan shot at her with a hard-light plasma gun of sorts, sending orbs of energy at her at a fast pace. Then, she lithely made her way around the back of him and grabbed his neck, applying pressure there and choking him out. 

Vihaan struggled and flailed for a moment before using his hard-light technology to turn his armoured hand into a sharp dagger-like construct and stab her in the leg. Lorelai howled in pain, but still hung on for dear life, applying even more pressure.

“Lorelai!” Max cried, looking in her direction as he heard her pained screech. It was just enough time for Satya Vaswani to fire a very large plasma orb through his chest. 

Red error messages flashed across the screen through his eyes and the screen glitched repeatedly as he tried to remain conscious. As his vision faded to black, the last thing he saw was Lorelai choking Vihaan out and rushing towards his injured body.

_ Adieu, ma chère…  _ he thought as he faded from reality.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blizzard owns Overwatch, but I own this story and my OC's Lorelai, and Oracle! :)  
> Hope you guys enjoy! :D

“No… no, Max! You can’t be dead… you can’t…” Lorelai mourned, placing a hand on Maximilien’s head. Then, she remembered the location of his core, along with the promise she made to destroy him if he was compromised.

_No,_ she thought as she pulled the core out of RX-52 and tucked it into her bra, _I never promised to destroy it. I promised to protect the information and not let it be compromised._

Lorelai stood up and faced Satya with a threatening expression on her face. She balled her fists and got into a solid fighting stance before rushing at her and attacking haphazardly. She knocked the hard-light weapon out of her hands and tackled her to the ground. 

They grappled for awhile together and Satya ended up on top of her.

“You are nothing more than a disgusting little street rat, and that is all you shall ever be!” she growled. Lorelai flipped her over and slammed her into the ground.

“ _I’m_ a street rat? And you’re _not?_ Don’t think I don’t see it in you. Stop pretending like you’re so much better than everyone else,” Lorelai snapped back at her. “You were born in the filth of India, weren’t you? That is, until Vishkar rescued you, took you to the finest part of India, and showed you how to use hard-light technology. Even so, you can’t escape it can you? And what’s worse is that even though you are your own person, you let Vishkar control you, and you happily do their bidding like an obedient little lap dog!”

Satya slapped Lorelai across the face and the two of them tussled even rougher than before.

“That is _enough!"_ a chilling voice declared. They both froze as they saw Korpal standing there with a gun to Lorelai’s head. Satya got off of Lorelai and backed up, staring at Korpal in horror.

“Now then, hand over Max’s core, or I will kill you and scrub you from this Earth so thoroughly that no one will ever know you existed.”

Lorelai turned her head and glared up at him. 

“I will not give you his core. You'll have to kill me to get it!” she spat. As Korpal cocked the gun, another voice rang out over the intercoms in the room they were in.

“Now, now, Sanjay Korpal, you know that even the tiniest bit of data, even when erased, still leaves residue that can be picked up and brought to light by others. Namely, me.”

“Sombra?” Lorelai asked aloud, immediately recognizing the voice.

“Sombra? The hacker?!” Sanjay exclaimed.

“Yep, it’s me, Chica! Also, quit being so gloomy. God… _‘you'll have to kill me’_ how sad… I’d never let you die like that,” she declared, mocking Lorelai as she repeated her words.

“Come out right now, or else I _will_ end her life,” Korpal threatened, shoving the gun against Lorelai’s head forcefully.

“No, you won’t… and let me tell you exactly why. Or better yet, let me _show_ you.” In the room in front of them, a large screen appeared that showed video footage of Korpal setting blast charges In various places inside of Calado’s corporate building and even accidentally triggering security that would get Satya Vaswani caught a bit later.

Then, it showed Satya teleporting out just as the building exploded. A low growl escaped Korpal’s throat, and Satya’s eyes widened as she gazed up at him.

“You… you really were the one who blew up Calado’s building and caused the fire and destruction in the slums!” she exclaimed in shock. Korpal glared down at her with cold, beady eyes.

“That is the price of getting what you want. Sacrifices have to be made Satya! We are trying to make the world a better place!” he declared.

“A better place, huh? Well… maybe you could do that with Talon’s support. We could use more friends, and you do not want us as an enemy. Despite our little run-in with you earlier at the Nevermore, we are still willing to have you on our side,” Sombra chimed in. Korpal’s eyes scanned the room, but primarily looked up into the air at the intercom speakers.

“Talon? Why would I join such a chaotic group?”

“We are not as chaotic as you’d think. We merely… operate a bit differently than most organizations. However, we are all fighting for the same thing.”

“And what’s that?”

“To make the world a better place.” Korpal’s eyes shifted down to the floor as if he was thinking hard about things.

“I’m listening,” he pressed.

“Agree to join our organization and give us your support on the down low, and we will help fund you. Believe it or not, I know _exactly_ what your real goal is, and with all the funding going to the academy and feeding and housing these poor, starving orphans, it’s a wonder you have anything left!”

“Besides that, I’ll make sure that little video of yours doesn’t play across every news station in Rio de Janeiro. However, if you kill my friend there, I’ll hit the send button immediately,” Sombra said in the most threatening voice Lorelai had ever heard from her.

“Very well, but I request an audience with your leader,” Sanjay said through gritted teeth as he removed the gun from Lorelai’s head.

"Sounds like a plan. I will let him know you wish to speak with him. You will have an audience with him within the next three days," Sombra promised.

Sanjay nodded and then glared down at Lorelai. “Get out. Now, before I change my mind,” he hissed.

Lorelai nodded and left the building as quickly as she could. Meanwhile, Satya stood up and dusted herself off, adjusting her hair and clothing. 

Sombra, completely invisible to both her and Korpal, leaned into Satya’s ear and murmured, “How long are you going to let him control you? You could be strong on your own, but instead, you are turning a blind eye to Vishkar’s injustices and hurting people.”

“Viskar is helping people. This was one isolated incident!” Satya hissed quietly.

“Oh? Isolated, huh? Seems like you don’t know the true story about Lúcio Correia dos Santos. His father made some of your greatest technology, and yet… Vishkar never really gave him credit. In fact, they were responsible for his death.”

“You are wrong!”

“It’s hard to be wrong when you have tangible evidence like I do, but you keep on believing whatever you’d like, _Symmetra_ ,” Sombra finished, passing the doubtful woman a small disc that proved Vishkar had done not just one or two, but many unlawful and dangerous things to get what they wanted.

Lorelai panted heavily outside the Vishkar Corporation building before placing her hand against the left side of her chest to make sure that she still had Max’s core safely tucked away. 

Then, she breathed in deeply, stuck up two middle fingers to the Vishkar building and yelled, “FUCK YOU VISHKAR PRICKS,” before panting heavily and struggling to calm herself down.

“Whoa, that’s a whole ‘nother level of courage you got goin’ on right there,” a smooth, deep voice declared. Lorelai whipped around to see a dark-skinned man with thick dreadlocks, and a neat black tattoo on his left shoulder. He was wearing baggy black jeans and a green muscle shirt that showed off his toned muscles. His eyes were deep brown, but they were lit up in amusement at her actions.

“You have _no_ idea how long I’ve wanted to shout that at them, but to think you actually did it, in India, of all places! Whooo!” 

“I’m sorry, but who are you?” Lorelai demanded, crossing her arms.

“I’m Lúcio Correia dos Santos,” he said, extending one hand to her, “pleasure to meet you.”

“Lúcio… Oh, wow! I love your music! Auditiva was amazing!” She quickly shook his hand.

“Thanks, but uhhh…” he stopped speaking and scratched his head in embarrassment, “I hope my music isn’t what inspired you to do _this_. I would never want my fans doing something this… well… dumb.”

“Oh no! No, no no, I just had a bad run-in with them, is all. Everything’s fine now, but… it was… something else,” Lorelai admitted.

“Well I’m glad you’re okay. I have to go because I’m here for... business... but good luck out there, and stay safe!”

“Will do,” Lorelai called back with a small wave, “nice meeting you!”

“Damn, Chica,” Sombra said, uncloaking herself beside her, “you have the craziest luck. Do you know who you just met?”

“Yeah, it was Lúcio, the singer!”

“Not just a singer. His father created the sonic technology for Vishkar, but died in ‘mysterious circumstances.’ Lúcio led the revolt that pushed Vishkar out of Rio de Janeiro.”

Lorelai gaped at her in shock, but she merely shrugged lazily.

“Also, you were totally the one who stole my Pain au Chocolat!” Lorelai fussed. Sombra crossed her arms and let out a devilish laugh.

“Hehehe… well, you snooze you lose! Now, let’s get out of here. There’s a helicopter waiting for us.” 

They quickly made their way to a nearby airport where a helicopter sat in the private area with a Talon pilot already in the cockpit, and Lorelai swallowed hard as Reyes stood next to the door.

_Reyes… I haven’t seen him since he…_ she shuddered as she remembered just how dangerous and cold he had been. She could feel him staring at her through his mask as she passed him.

“Mission successful?” Reyes demanded in his usual low, growling tone of voice.

“Yeah, it was nice of Max to let us borrow his bride-to-be for this mission. It went off without a hitch,” Sombra said, strapping herself into her seat, winking at Lorelai, and slumping backwards lazily. Reyes seemed to twitch at the phrase, ‘bride-to-be’ but he gave no indication of what he was feeling.

_Wait... they 'borrowed' me? Oh right... Talon doesn't know that Max can fight. They just assume he's their money man. Sombra must know his secret and be covering for him. They... they even have secrets from each other... and he has secrets from me... What else are they hiding?_

“Oh, speaking of which, Chica,” she added, “you’re going to be getting married almost as soon as we get back. That’ll be exciting, no?”

“Y-yeah,” Lorelai stammered, her head coming up to meet Sombra's gaze. For a while, she had forgotten all about marrying the Omnic, and had just been in her own little world. She liked being with Max. 

She liked protecting him and pleasuring him, but she also liked the sense of power she felt when she was by his side and they were fighting together. It was as though he was the King, but she was his Queen, and they were a force to be reckoned with.

Even so, she still wasn’t convinced she could trust Max, and even moreso, she was angry with him. He made her think that he trusted her to have his back, but he secretly asked Sombra to come. Lorelai knew it. 

Even so, she wasn’t about to show any sort of weakness. Not anymore.

_Is all of Talon the same? All liars and betrayers? Even so, I guess I should somewhat be thankful Sombra was here, because she saved us in the end. But still…_

Lorelai nodded to herself and smiled over at the cheeky hacker to see her lazily examining her nails. She realised that what Max had done had nothing to do with her, and she was keeping the secret about Max having even been at Vishkar in the first place.

“You know what? You can even be my maid of honour, if you’d like,” she offered to Sombra.

“What, seriously?” Sombra demanded, grinning wildly and sitting forward in her seat. Lorelai nodded and Sombra’s grin got even wider. “Alright, I’ll be there then. Thanks, Chica. This is a first for me! Being asked to do something other than hacking.”

Reyes gave a low scoff and sat down in his seat, strapping himself in.

“Are _you_ going to be there Reyes?” Lorelai hesitantly inquired.

“No,” he instantly bit back, “I have better things to do than watch you play make-believe housewife.” Lorelai frowned and turned away from him, staring out the window. For a moment, she dismissed his harsh words, but then, she started to wonder if it really was just make-believe.

_He’s been dishonest now. What makes you think he won’t be dishonest in marriage?_ She asked herself as the helicopter went airborne and began to fly them back to Paris. _I’ll put up a strong front, and not rely on him again. I won’t let him know my emotions. I won’t let him see me shed another tear._

As soon as they arrived back at the mansion, Lorelai exited the chopper, walked into the main room, and found Maximilien’s body at the dining table. She grabbed the small, golden knob on the side of his jaw and twisted it, opening the chamber in the side of his head where she placed his core. She stepped back and watched the Omnic’s red eyes glow and the small red lights along his forehead brighten.

Finally, he sat up and panted heavily, reaching an arm out before calming himself and sitting back in his chair.

“We’re safe now and back at the mansion, thanks to _Sombra_ ,” Lorelai said in a bitter tone of voice. “Also, why do you do that? You can’t even breathe, so why are you panting?”

“It is… a bodily response to stress. When I am under duress, I have similar bodily responses to that of a Human. I believe it was ingrained into my programming, though I am unsure of the reasoning behind this,” Max answered her. When she said nothing and maintained the emotionless expression on her face, he cleared his throat and kept speaking.

“I apologise that you had to see me like this, ma chère. I—”

“Lorelai,” she bit back.

“Pardon?”

“Je m'appelle Lorelai, _pas_ ‘chère’. _My name is Lorelai, not ‘dear’._ ” She stared at Maximilien with cold, expressionless eyes, and for once, Max really couldn’t read her one bit. Before, he had gotten hints here and there about her, but now her face was devoid of any emotion.

“Also, thank you for letting me know that Sombra would be joining us on this mission.”

“But… I didn’t let you know,” Max said, tilting his head to the side in confusion.

“Exactement. _Exactly._ ” She whirled around and exited the dining room, gliding up the stairs gracefully towards the bedroom. Maximilien stared after her in confusion, but there was something else he hadn’t expected to feel: longing.

_Why should I want for her when she is being this difficult? I do not understand…_ he thought to himself as he rose to his feet.

“Hey Max, isn’t your wedding supposed to be taking place today?” Sombra suddenly asked him, tearing him away from his thoughts.

“Yes. Tonight, rather. It will be an evening wedding and all of Monaco is invited. Although… did something else happen when I was… indisposed?”

“Not really… I mean… Korpal held Lorelai at gunpoint and demanded she give your core to him, but she refused. That was when I stepped in and had Korpal join Talon and agree to meet with Akande.”

“Well… she seems… different. She was cold and direct with me just now, rather than warm and inviting as she has been for the most part.”

“I mean… she found out that you secretly had me stay. It was foolish not to tell her. You really did jump the gun with her, Max. You should trust her more.”

“But if you hadn’t been here, both of us would have died.”

“That’s not the issue here,” Sombra declared, putting a hand to her head in frustration. “The fact that you had me come in secret and didn’t let her know probably makes her feel as though she’s been betrayed. It made her feel as though you either didn’t trust her ability to protect you, or you didn’t trust _her_ and needed protection. You breached _her_ trust in _you_.”

Max placed a hand against his face deep in thought.

_Relationships with Humans are much more difficult than I had anticipated…_ he thought to himself.

“It’s not that difficult. You just need to communicate with her and show her that you trust her and that she can trust you,” Sombra added, sensing his confusion.

Max nodded once at her and began walking up the stairs to their room. He opened the door to find Lorelai piling clothes onto the bed.

“Lorelai? What are you doing?” he asked softly.

“I’m changing bedrooms. You told me before that I didn’t have to sleep in your room, that I could choose my own. Now, I’m moving. I think it’s time I had my own space,” she declared, grabbing more women’s clothing from the closets and tossing the ones she wanted onto the bed.

“Lorelai, you are welcome to stay here with me,” Max gently informed her.

“I know.” Lorelai gave no indication of what she was feeling and kept piling the clothes up. Max shifted impatiently in his spot.

“Why do you feel as though you need your own space away from me?” She shrugged in response to his question and continued on with her chore. Max lightly grabbed her arm and she stopped in her tracks, staring him in the eyes.

“Please… please stay, ma ch- Lorelai,” he pleaded now, astonished that he had actually begged her to remain. She had him wrapped around her little finger, but she had no desire to be with anyone who would lie to her.

“Tell me something… does all of Talon lie, betray, or deceive people, or is it just you?” Lorelai spat. She didn’t glare at him, but her gaze was striking and her words pierced through him like a bullet.

Max tried to speak, but no words came out. 

_Sombra was right. She does feel betrayed. I did not anticipate this, nor did I wish for it to happen!_

She carefully prised her arm out of the Omnic’s grasp, collected the clothes, and got to the door.

“Wait, please!” he cried. Lorelai froze, her hand on the doorknob. She remembered back when Maximilien had all of the power, and how he got her to join Talon in the first place. 

_“The offer I will now present to you is good until I reach the door,”_ he had told her. She gave a tiny smirk that he couldn’t see, knowing that she had the power now.

“Please… I am sorry, Lorelai. I didn’t mean for you to feel deceived, nor did I mean to be dishonest with you. I just figured that Sombra would be useful to help keep us safe just in case something were to happen. Please, forgive me,” he murmured, bowing his head.

“I do… forgive you,” she called out to him, frowning slightly as her lips trembled. He lifted his head, hope filling him, until she continued, “but that does not mean that I trust you. You will have to earn that back. I will see you for our wedding tonight.”

As she walked out the door and closed it behind her, several tears fell down her cheeks, unseen by Max, who had sat down on the bed listlessly and stared off into space.

Lorelai walked over to another room nearby. She entered it, threw the clothes on a nearby chair, and fell backwards onto the bed, covering her face with her arm.

_Oracle… I know you probably don’t know too much about relationships, but… do you think I was too harsh on Max?_

_“That is difficult for me to answer. On the one hand, you never did try to figure out his reasoning behind not telling you Sombra was with you, but on the other hand, he should have confided that information to you,”_ she responded.

_What… what should I do?_

_“Perhaps you should speak with Sombra. The two of them seem very close and you could gain more information about him through her.”_

_That’s… a great idea, Oracle! Thanks!_

_“Anytime, Lorelai.”_

Lorelai rushed out the door and down the stairs, wiping her eyes before she got too far towards the main room. She spotted Sombra at the dining table. She had a purple holographic screen open that displayed several different dresses on it.

“What do you think, Chica? The royal purple, the navy blue, or the black and gold?”

Lorelai walked over behind her and stared at the screen for a bit until she spied something else; a stunning little velvety red dress that shone with a pink-ish tone, but had a violet underside to it. It was a single shoulder strap dress with a slit going up the left side of it to the middle of the wearer’s thigh. It was nice and flowy and allowed for a lot of movement.

“I think you’d look amazing in this,” she informed her, clicking on the dress and pulling it up on the screen.

“This?” Sombra asked in shock. “But… I’m not supposed to look better than the bride on her wedding day!”

Lorelai chuckled and smiled warmly at the Mexican beauty.

“I understand that’s the tradition, but I want you to look beautiful alongside me. Strut your stuff, girl!”

“Alright but… hey wait. Have you even purchased a wedding dress yet?” 

“No… and to be honest, I’m not really sure I want to…” she dismayed, sitting down next to Sombra in one of the dining chairs.

“Oh no… not you too. You and Max have been super gloomy. It’s bringing the mood down man!”

Lorelai sighed deeply and hugged her arms to herself.

“I just… I don’t know how to take him… One minute, he tells me he cares about me and the next, he’s asking you to protect him in secret behind my back. Does he think I’m going to assassinate him or something, or does he just not think I’m capable of taking care of him?”

“Listen, Lorelai,” Sombra began, placing a hand on her shoulder, “Max… he really cares about you. A lot. Honestly, I’m willing to bet that he loves you, though he probably won’t admit it. He’s just really conflicted. You have to understand that people are constantly trying to assassinate him, or they’re trying to get on his good side and use him for things. He has to be very careful.”

“You two have only known each other for a few days now, so there is a lot you have to learn about each other. He jumped the gun when he called me in secret to protect you two. He should have let you know, but he suspected that infiltrating Vishkar would take at least three agents.” 

When Lorelai didn’t respond, she took one of her hands in her own and looked her in the eyes. She smiled warmly at Lorelai and tilted her head slightly. 

“Why don’t you go speak with him? He will tell you the truth about things. He really does care about you, you know.”

Lorelai sighed and looked over in the direction of Max’s room.

“Okay, I will.”

Sombra grabbed Lorelai by the arm before she got up and made her sit back down again.

“Ah, ah, ah! We are picking out your wedding dress _first!_ ” she objected. Lorelai laughed loudly, rolling her eyes, and they took her measurements and stared at the screen in anticipation as they scoured the web for the perfect dress.


End file.
